Podcasts about ft8

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com  I have some details on the CP7DX DXpedition to Bolivia. They are QRV from Tarija until June 6, including the CQ WW WPX CW weekend. The rest of the time they will do SSB, CW and FT8, 160-6M and EME on 144 and 432 MHz. QSL direct to LU1FM and Club Log OQRS too.  WA7RAR, Chris, is QRV from Bonaire as PJ4CB until June 8, SSB and CW, 20-10M and from POTA sites on the island.   Alain, F8FUA, will be in Kigali, Rwanda, operating holiday style as 9X5KM from June 4 to 13. There will be activity on CW, SSB and Digital on all HF bands, and depending on local conditions, possibly 160 meters. QSO will be uploaded to LoTW and LoTW, but no OQRS. QSL direct or via the bureau to F8FUA.  OH1LEG and OH1MN, Juha and Markus, will again activate OJ0Z and OJ0MN respectively from Market Reef, until June 6. It will be the same gear as previously, a pair of IC-7300 radios and dipoles and other wire antennas. Modes will be SSB and FT8.  Juha says they do four meters down to 160 meters and “I like more low bands.”  They will not do Logbook of the World or eQSL.  3G0Z became QRV from Juan Fernandez using 17m SSB and FT8 with a single-element Delta Loop antenna. Felipe was still installing additional antennas and planned to bring a linear amplifier online to expand capabilities. Weather on the island was cool but manageable—around 15°C (59°F) with clouds, light rain, and mild wind. The antenna site, about 40 meters above sea level, offers strong propagation toward Europe, Africa, and the central U.S. The operation is expected to last about 20 days.  Mac, KC8CPK, is a flight nurse on temporary duty at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands,  doing Medevac work and is operating as V7/KC8CPK while awaiting his Marshallese license. Because the ham shack and antennas are shared with DARPA and NASA, he can only operate when the equipment is not otherwise in use, though he is trying to get on the air as often as possible. He expects to remain for about three more weeks. Current equipment is an IC-7300 with an M² 7/10/30LP antenna, and 40 meters seems to be the best band for that setup. There are also experimental fan dipoles for lower bands, possibly including 60 meters, but 80 meters is not available.  VR2XAN, Alberto, will be on as XX9TXN from Macao June 2-9, SSB, CW and FT8, all bands 160-6, “with a special focus on North America.” He says he will attempt SSB on 80M “and maybe 160.” QSL to IV3SKB.  ZL3IO, Holger is back in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, using the callsign ZL7IO, today to June 4, including the CQ WPX CW weekend, a single operator all band. QSL to DK7AO.  VP0/H – South Shetland Islands SQ4O, Rafal Mazur, says “If everything goes well, I plan to start broadcasting at the end of May” as HF0PAS from the Polish Antarctic Station Arctowski on King George Island. He has installed a Yagi for 20, 15 and 10 meters as well one for 6 meters. Rafal still has plans to install a dipole for 80 and 40 meters. He is expected to be there until October.  TF1OL, Ólafur, and his wife will be on Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde, from June 12 to June 23 for a 10-day stay. During this time, he will be active on FT8 and FT4 on 80 through 6 meters under the callsign D4OL.   If you have questions or need information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com  Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week! 

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The Southwest Ohio DX Association (SWODXA)announced its 2025/26 DXpeditioner of the Year Award at the SWODXA DX DinnerFriday night of Hamvention, recognizing an operator who made an exceptionalcontribution to the DX community. The award was given to YL2GM, YurisPetersons, for his solo ZS8W operation from Marion Island. His expeditionlogged 31,672 QSOs and helped activate an entity that moved from #11 to #25 inranking. SWODXA praised the effort as well-organized and successfully carriedout under very challenging conditions. SWODXA alsoannounced the 2025/26 DXpedition of the Year Award honoring excellence inplanning and execution from Most Wanted entities. The award went to the RussianDXpedition Team for their 9U1RU expedition to Burundi, which logged 179,831QSOs and moved the entity from #60 to #106 in ranking. SWODXA recognized theteam for a well-organized operation carried out in a challenging environment.  The following DX informationcomes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DXcolumn in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your onlysource of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com ZC4 - UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus - G4WXJ, Dave, willoperate as ZC4RH from Dhekelia (KM64ux) between May 24 and 30, using 100watts with Yaesu 857D and Xiegu X6100 radios. He will be active on CW,SSB, FT8, and FT4 modes across 40 to 6 meters, using dipoles andEFHW antennas. 3B9 - Rodrigues I - UR9IDX, Ivan, isQRV until June 1st, as 3B9IDX from Rodrigues Island. His operationswill focus on HF bands, primarily using CW and some SSB, but not FT8. QSLdirect only to his address in Madeira Island, Portugal. 6Y – Jamaica - KQ4PGV, Bill, istraveling to Jamaica from May 31 to June 8 for an anniversary trip and willoperate as KQ4PGV/6Y on the radio when possible. Although experienced with POTAand SOTA, he is new to DXing and will be using an IC-705, tuner, and an amp(either 100W or 50W). He plans to activate parks for POTA using FT8 and Ham2kPortable Logger. CP – Bolivia - Team CP7DX hasreleased some details of the upcoming DXpedition. They plan to be QRV fromTarija May 26 to June 6, including the CQWW WPX CW weekend. The rest of the timethey will do SSB, CW and FT8, 160-6M and EME on 144 and 432 MHz. QSL direct toLU1FM and Club Log OQRS too. PJ4 – Bonaire - WA7RAR, Chris, asPJ4CB will be there again May 27 to June 8, SSB and CW, 20-10M and from POTAsites on the island. For a QSL it's  F8FUA,Alain Esquirol, will be in Kigali, Rwanda, QRV holiday style as 9X5KM from June4 to 13. There will be activity on CW, SSB and Digital on all HF bands, and dependingon local conditions, possibly 160 meters. QSO will be uploaded to LoTW andLoTW, but no OQRS. QSL direct or via the bureau to F8FUA. OH1LEGand OH1MN, Juha and Markus, will again activate OJ0Z and OJ0MN respectivelyfrom Market Reef, from May 30 to June 6, as they hope for good weather forlanding and the one week there.  It willbe the same gear as previously, a pair of IC-7300 radios and dipoles and otherwire antennas. Modes will be SSB and FT8. Juha says they do four meters down to 160 meters and “I like more lowbands.”  They will not do Logbook of theWorld or eQSL. Thisweek, the DX Mentor Podcast will feature an update of the CQ Marathon programby Mark, WC3W. Check them out and let me know what you think.             If you have questions or needinformation, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DXcolumn in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comXT - Burkina Faso – Harald, DF2SWO,goes again to Burkina Faso using the callsign XT2AW, until May 19.  Harald plans to be on HF and the QO-100 satellite and he welcomes skeds.   CN – Morocco - CN2NQV is the call for F8NQV who is QRV until July 11.  The QTH is the town of Sidi Rahal Chatai, on the Atlantic Ocean, 70 kilometers south of Casablanca.   Pascal's gear runs 100 watts to a Diamond vertical on the rooftop, about 15 meters above ground level. 5Z - Kenya  - 5Z4/MM0ZBH is QRV Holiday Style until June 15, with 100 watts and wire antennas.  QSL via the MM0ZBH home QTH, but his first choice is Logbook of the World foryour request.  Direct is SAE, no USD or IRC needed.  Paul says"I am happy to pay return postage." A6 - United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Many A60PE/##calls will be on the air as part of a national campaign of pride,"Proud of the Emirates."  Flag Day and Union Day (National Day) are popular national pride days.  The current event goes through May 31.  A3 – Tonga - JH3QFL, Takio, will operate as A31AA from Tongatapu Island, Tonga between May 14–22, 2026, onthe 80m–6m bands. QSL cards are available via SASE, and QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW. T8 – Palau - T88IL, T88JH and T88KY will be an operation May 21-24, ops JF3PLF, JR3QFB and JA1MFR, from Koror.  Masa, Yoshi, and Masa will be on 160-6M SSB, CW and digital. QSL details are on QRZ.com.  ZC4 - UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus - G4WXJ, Dave, will operate as ZC4RH from Dhekelia (KM64ux) between May 24 and 30, using 100 watts with Yaesu 857D and Xiegu X6100 radios. He will be active on CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4 modes across 40 to 6 meters, using dipoles and EFHW antennas. 3B9 - Rodrigues I - UR9IDX, Ivan, is QRV until June 1st, as 3B9IDX from Rodrigues Island. His operations will focus on HF bands, primarily using CW and some SSB, but not FT8. QSLdirect only to his address in Madeira Island, Portugal. JW – Svalbard - G1VAQ, Tom, will be briefly operating as JW/G1VAQ from Svalbard in May, using portable QRP (5W)CW on 20 meters. He asks for patience with his CW and notes that QSOs will be confirmed via LoTW and QRZ.com after his return to the UK. OX – Gree nland - OZ1DJJ, Bo, will be active as OX3LX from Aasiaat Island until May 22nd. This activity is part of a work trip, not a DXpedition, so limited radio contacts are expected. 6Y – Jamaica - KQ4PGV, Bill, is traveling to Jamaica from May 31 to June 8 for an anniversary trip and will operate as KQ4PGV/6Y on the radio when possible. Although experienced with POTA and SOTA, he is new to DXing and will be using an IC-705, tuner, and an amp (either 100W or 50W). He plans to activate parks for POTA using FT8 and Ham2kPortable Logger. CP – Bolivia - Team CP7DX has released some details of the upcoming DXpedition. They plan to be QRV from Tarija May 26 to June 6, including the CQ WW WPX CW weekend. The rest of the time they will do SSB, CW and FT8, 160-6M and EME on 144 and 432 MHz. QSL direct to LU1FM and Club Log OQRS too. PJ4 – Bonaire - WA7RAR, Chris, as PJ4CB will be there again May 27 to June 8, SSB and CW, 20-10M and from POTAsites on the island.  4K – Azerbaijan - The first ever POTA activation from Absheron National Park, AZ-0004 is May 28. The 4K0T“DXpedition and Contest Team” is going, joined by the ARAS, the Azerbaijan Radio Amateurs Society. They say the park is remarkable, on the Caspian Sea. It is grid LN50eg. They plan HF SSB and will have live updates, photos, logs and QSL info as things unfold.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DXcolumn in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comXT - Burkina Faso – Harald, DF2SWO, goes again to Burkina Faso using the callsign XT2AW, until May 19. Harald plans to be on HF and the QO-100 satellite and he welcomesskeds.  CE0 - Juan Fernandez - 3G0Z is the call for XQ7IR, Felipe, when he goes later this month.  His call will be XR0Z when he's on Alejandro Selkirk Island, SA-101, a possible side trip for 24-36 hours.  His gear has been sent ahead successfully, from Valparaiso to Juan Fernandez Island. CN – Morocco - CN2NQV is the call for F8NQV who is QRV until July 11.  The QTH is the town of Sidi Rahal Chatai, on the Atlantic Ocean, 70 kilometers south of Casablanca.Pascal's gear runs 100 watts to a Diamond vertical on the rooftop, about 15 meters above ground level. 5Z - Kenya  - 5Z4/MM0ZBH is QRV Holiday Style until June 15, with 100 watts and wire antennas.  QSL via the MM0ZBH home QTH, but his first choice is Logbook of the World foryour request.  Direct is SAE, no USD or IRC needed.  Paul says"I am happy to pay return postage." A6 - United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Many A60PE/##calls will be on the air as part of a national campaign of pride,"Proud of the Emirates."  Flag Day and Union Day (National Day) are popular national pride days.  The current event goes through May 31.  TF – Iceland - TF/WE9G, Rikk,will again be traveling, this time to Borg, Iceland, May 10-19, IOTA EU-021 and grid HP94ob.  He will have three radios on, a pair of IC-7300 radios and an IC-705, to a homebrew vertical, a tunable vertical, and a G5RV-E.  He will do 160-6, mostly FT8/4/2 "with some SSB and CW."  A Park on the Air, POTA, is a possibility, depending on his local transportation there.  QSL direct or bureau to WE9G and TF/WE9G on Club Log OQRS, QRZ and LoTW.  He plans real time log uploads and also Club Log livestream.    T8 – Palau - T88IL, T88JH and T88KY will be an operation May 21-24, ops JF3PLF, JR3QFB and JA1MFR, from Koror.  Masa, Yoshi, and Masa will be on 160-6M SSB, CW and digital. QSL details are on QRZ.com.  ET – Ethiopia - DL9WVM, Ulli, says he has two more weeks in Addis, and is QRV on CW from ET3AA as time permits.  He is there visiting family.  W9XY, Bob, say he may do some remote operating from that station, when DL9WVM is not operating.  K4ZW, Ken, will also be there, next weekend.  QSLs for K4ZW operations will go to N2OO as usual. ZC4 - UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus - G4WXJ, Dave, will operate as ZC4RH from Dhekelia (KM64ux) between May 24 and 30, using 100 watts with Yaesu 857D and Xiegu X6100 radios. He will be active on CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4 modes across 40 to 6 meters, using dipoles and EFHW antennas. TK – Corsica - F4FTV, Fabrice, will operate as TK/F4FTV from Porto-Vecchio, Corsica, from May 9 to 16, using SSB and digital modes. QSL is available via F4FTV and LoTW after three months.OX – Greenland - TF1OL, Olafur, plans to be QRV from Nuuk, Greenland from May 10 to 17. 3B8 - Mauritius & 3B9 - Rodrigues I - UR9IDX, Ivan, recently operated from Reunion Island (FR/UR9IDX, Mayotte (FH/UR9IDX)  and Comoros (D60DX), is QRV as 3B8IDX until May 16 from Mauritius and as 3B9IDX (May 18-June 1) from Rodrigues Island. His operations will focus on HF bands, primarily using CW and some SSB, but not FT8. QSL direct only to his address in Madeira Island, Portugal.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 10th of May 2026 The news headlines: RSGB Board liaison roles announced Women in amateur radio and STEM A message from the RSGB President at the 2026 AGM Each RSGB Board Director has a liaison role between the Board and specific aspects of the Society's work. This focuses very much on the work done by RSGB volunteers in committees, groups and teams as well as by the Honorary Officers and Champions. In a role swap that has been planned for some time, Ben Lloyd, GW4BML, will become Board Liaison for the RSGB Regional Team and Nathan Nuttall, MM9OCC, will become Board Liaison for the RSGB Youth Committee. New Board member Graham Smith, G4NMD, has taken on responsibility for the exam portfolio previously held by retired director Len Paget, GM0ONX. Other roles and responsibilities will be announced shortly. In the interim, if you have any doubts as to where to direct an enquiry regarding a Board Liaison matter, please contact Board Chair Stewart Bryant, G3YSX. To find out more or to see contact details for each Board Director, go to rsgb.org/board This year, International Women in Engineering Day takes place on the 23rd of June 2026. It is a celebration of the amazing work of women engineers across the globe. People who have an interest in amateur radio often work in careers related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, also known as STEM. STEM subjects can be an effective way for the RSGB to introduce amateur radio to new audiences and young people. To mark the day, the Society is planning to share stories of how amateur radio has helped female engineers in their lives and careers. The theme for International Women in Engineering Day 2026 is Engineering Intelligence and is an opportunity to recognise the women engineers who solve complex challenges and help drive change. Are you involved in a research project? Perhaps you are designing something new, or reworking a project to make it more accessible to others? Maybe you're part of a team that is analysing data to find a solution to a problem? Whatever your story, the Society would love to hear from you so it can help to inspire future generations of girls and young women. If you'd like to share your story, please send a photo and a summary of what you have been doing to comms@rsgb.org.uk  by the 31st of May. Membership sits at the heart of the RSGB, and at its AGM in April, RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, shared a message on this important topic. During his video message, Bob spoke about the wide range of services that the RSGB offers its members. He went on to explain that the Society is reviewing its membership offering and how that will be implemented in the coming months. This important message is available for all radio amateurs to watch via the RSGB YouTube channel. Go to youtube.com/thersgb  and select the RSGB 2026 AGM playlist to start watching now. Remember to share this video with your friends, local club and the rest of the amateur radio community. The BBC has announced that the Droitwich Transmitter on 198kHz will be permanently closed down in 2026. The Scottish Long Wave transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen will also be turned off. The Droitwich transmitter was commissioned during September 1934. These transmissions have always been part of our lives as radio enthusiasts. A date has not yet been formally given, but the BBC is committing to providing two months' notice to listeners. The RSGB and the BBC Amateur Radio Group are planning to mark this occasion on the air. More details of how this will be achieved will be available soon. Please email ContestClub@rsgbcc.org  if you would like to register your interest. Remember to listen out for the stations that are taking part in the Mills on the Air event today, the 10th of May. Radio amateurs are on the air from a wide range of interesting locations and are keen to take your call. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events On Saturday, the 16th of May, East Midlands Ham and Electronics Rally will take place at Beckingham Village Hall, Southfield Lane, Beckingham DN10 4FX. The doors will be open from 9.30 am to 3 pm. Free car parking is available behind the hall, and traders are invited to set up from 7 am. Hot food and refreshments will be available on site. For more information and booking details, visit emerg.uk/rally Dunstable Downs Radio Rally will be taking place on Sunday, the 17th of May at Stockwood Park in Luton. The boot sale will be open to traders from 7.30 am and to visitors from 9 am. The entrance fee, which includes car parking, is £4 per vehicle. Find out more at dunstabledownsradioclub.org/bootsale   Now the Special Event news Special callsign HG333DEB will be active from the 15th to the 24th of May to celebrate the city of Debrecen in Hungary. Listen out for activity on all bands using CW, digital modes, FM and SSB. More information, including details of awards that are available for working the station, is available via QRZ.com Antwerp Port Contest Club, ON8APC, is active with special callsign OT26EPIC to promote this year's Antwerp Port Epic cycling race. Look for activity until the 25th of May. QSL via ON8JJ. See QRZ.com for more details, including how to view a livestream of the event on YouTube. Now the DX news Pascal, F8NQV, is active as CN2NQV from Morocco until the 17th of July. Look for him on the 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB. Tom, VK2TBC, is on the air as VK0TBC from Casey Station, Antarctica, until December. He operates using SSB and FT8. Updates on Tom's station are posted at vk2tbc.com Now the contest news Today, the 10th, the RSGB 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200 UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK stations also send their postcode. Also, today, the 10th, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Wave Contest runs from 0800 to 1700 UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday, the 12th of May, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855 UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday, the 12th of May, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 13th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 13th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday, the 14th of May, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB 144MHz May Contest starts at 1400 UTC on Saturday, the 16th and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday, the 17th of May. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK stations also send their postcode. On Sunday, the 17th of May, the RSGB 1st 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1000 to 1400 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK stations also send their postcode. On Monday, the 18th of May, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 7th of May 2026 We had another mixed week of HF propagation, with a Kp index of 6 one day and then three days later a Kp of less than 1. The index hit 6.33 on the evening of Monday, the 4th of May, sparking aurora and poor HF conditions. But by Wednesday, the 6th of May it was back down to 0.67. So, you can see why it is hard to predict what HF conditions are going to be like with ionospheric propagation being driven by the geomagnetic status rather than the solar flux index. According to the CDXC Slack group, DX worked over the past week included TZ4AM in Mali on 10m CW; T31TTT from Central Kiribati on 12m and 15m FT8; XQ6CF in Chile on 17m CW; VP8A on the Falkland Islands on 60m CW; 3B9G on 20m CW and TL8BNW from the Central African Republic on 40m SSB. So, there is DX about if you hunt for it. Interestingly, all of the above, apart from T31TTT, were on southward paths, perhaps reflecting poorer conditions on polar paths at times due to the elevated Kp index. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain around 115 to 130 with calm geomagnetic conditions for the first half of the week. However, unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 15th to the 18th of May with a possible Kp index of 5. With five sunspot groups visible on the Sun's surface, and active region 4419, the source of two X-Flares on Friday, the 24th of April, now about to turn back into Earth's view, it is anyone's guess what could happen next! As we enter mid-May, we are getting closer to summer HF conditions. So Sporadic-E on the higher HF bands, lower maximum usable frequencies overall, but perhaps 14MHz staying open all night, are all features to watch out for. Also look out for 10m band openings to Southern Africa around midday and paths to South America during early and late evening. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The current period of weather seems to be a mix of weak high-pressure and low-pressure systems vying for dominance. Therefore, it implies a mix of radio conditions will share our attention, with weak tropo from ridges of high pressure, but no big highs on the chart; and frontal rain bands or heavy showers bringing a chance of rain scatter for GHz operators. The prospects for meteor scatter may remain elevated for a while since we have only just passed the peak of the Eta Aquarids on Wednesday, the 6th of May. Remember, the early morning hours tend to be best for meteor activity in general.  The aurora alerts have continued to provide a glimmer of hope, but mostly for weak enhancements, so look for a Kp value of 5 or greater and signs of ‘watery' sounding signals on the HF bands before turning the VHF beams to the north. As we move into the early part of the Sporadic-E season, it will become the mode of choice for us during the next few months. The general rule is to check for the two main periods of activity, in mid-morning and again late afternoon or early evening. Listen for strong signals on the 10m band from Europe and then, as the event develops, the higher frequency bands will open up too. In a strong event, the 2m band can even show up sounding like 20m. However, early-season events tend to favour the 10 and 6m bands. EME now. The Moon is past minimum declination and increasing, giving lengthening Moon windows and increasing peak elevation. Path losses are decreasing now after apogee on Monday, the 4th of May. 144MHz sky temperature is low all week until Saturday, the 16th of May, when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 3rd of May 2026 The news headlines: Ticket sales for the RSGB 2026 Convention are now open! RSGB appoints a new volunteer Accessibility Champion FCC authorises commercial satellite constellation use in the 70cm band You can now buy tickets for the RSGB 2026 Convention in Milton Keynes. The event takes place between the 9th and 11th of October and is a must for any radio amateur looking to learn, connect and be inspired. Several lecturers have already been confirmed, and include Nobby Styles, G0VJG, talking about the South Georgia DXpedition in March 2027, as well as recent Wortley-Talbot Trophy winner Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL, on HF propagation studies from the Baldock space weather station. Ticket sales for workshops taking place over the weekend are also open. These are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and with only 20 spaces available for each, secure your place now to ensure you don't miss out. Go to rsgb.org/convention  to read the latest Convention news and purchase your tickets. RSGB Board Director Nathan Nuttall, MM9OCC, has announced that Jane Joyce, M8WVJ, has been appointed as the new RSGB Accessibility Champion. Jane brings a wealth of experience in the areas of disability and accessibility, making her ideally suited to this important role. As Accessibility Champion, she will share real stories from members that highlight both the challenges and successes within the hobby, helping to raise awareness and improve understanding of accessibility issues. Jane will also be available to help direct individuals to the support they need, which will help to improve accessibility across amateur radio as a whole, and she will advise the RSGB on meaningful improvements. Jane can be contacted via the email address access.champion@rsgb.org.uk In the USA the FCC has authorised AST-SpaceMobile to launch its full constellation of 248 large satellites that includes 430-440MHz for emergency telemetry and control when not over the United States. This is despite there being no such frequency allocation. However, the FCC permitted the use of the frequencies using Article 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations. This follows an initial filing and review last year, and extensive amateur concerns that resulted in over 2,500 comments being submitted. The IARU has released a statement on the matter, which you can read via tinyurl.com/IARU-AST  The RSGB has more background and earlier responses on its Spectrum Forum web page at tinyurl.com/RSGB-AST RSGB club insurance, and beacon and repeater insurance, have now been renewed for the year from the 30th of April 2026 to April 2027. Club insurance certificates can be downloaded via rsgb.org/repeaterinsurance. You will need to log in to obtain your certificate. Beacon and repeater insurance certificates are available for an admin fee of £15 from the RSGB shop. Please allow a couple of days after renewal for your certificate to be dispatched. The Society would like to remind RSGB members with G7 callsigns who collect QSL cards that they should now send their stamped addressed envelopes to Mr Anthony Holles, G4AAV. You can find his details in the sub-manager list of the RSGB QSL Bureau web section at rsgb.org/qsl  Volunteers at the RSGB National Radio Centre will be operating the GB2BP special event station on Friday, the 8th and Saturday, the 9th of May, to commemorate the anniversary of VE Day. Put the date in your diary and make sure you add this callsign to your logbook. RSGB members, don't forget you can receive free entry to Bletchley Park, which includes the NRC, by downloading and printing your personalised voucher at rsgb.org/bpvoucher The annual Mills on the Air event is taking place on Saturday, the 9th and Sunday, the 10th of May. Operators will be on the air from a variety of historic locations. If you hear them, make sure to give them a call. Don't forget to listen out for the stations that are taking part in this year's Pubs and Clubs on the Air event from the 8th to the 10th of May. For more information about the event, email Chris via g1puv@yahoo.co.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 3rd, the Broadcast Engineering Museum has an open day from 11 am. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS and is home to one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events Thorpe Camp Hamfest is also taking place today, the 3rd, at Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Tattershall Thorpe, LN4 4PL. Traders can arrive from 7 am, and visitors are welcome from 9 am. The entry fee is £5 per person. For more information, visit thorpecamp.org Tomorrow, the 4th, Dartmoor Spring Radio Rally will take place at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking available. The doors will be open from 10 am to 1 pm, and admission costs £3. More details are available at dartmoorradioclub.uk On Saturday, the 9th of May 2026, Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will be held at Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. The doors open at 9 am, for traders and visitors are welcome from 10 am. A large free car park is available, and admission costs £3. Now the Special Event news On Saturday, the 9th, and Sunday, the 10th of May, Harlow and District Amateur Radio Society will be taking part in Mills on the Air from John Webb's Windmill in Thaxted, Essex. The station will use special event callsign GB0TWM and operate between 8.30 am and 4 pm. Amateurs, shortwave listeners and visitors are welcome to join in with the fun. For more information, visit QRZ.com To celebrate his 50th anniversary in amateur radio, Nick, US8AR, is active throughout 2026 using the special callsign EM50AR. Look out for activity on the HF and VHF bands using all modes. Electronic QSL cards can be downloaded from em50ar.pp.ua Now the DX news TJ, PE1OJR is active as PJ4TB from Bonaire, SA-006, until tomorrow, Monday the 4th of May. He operates FT4, FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World. Paul, MM0ZBH, is active as 5Z4/MM0ZBH from Kenya until the 15th of June. He operates using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World and OQRS. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 3rd of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The ARI International DX Contest started at 1200UTC yesterday, Saturday the 2nd, and ends at 1159UTC today, Sunday the 3rd of May. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations also give their province code. The RSGB 432MHz to 245GHz Contest started at 1400UTC yesterday, Saturday the 2nd and ends at 1400UTC today, Sunday the 3rd of May. Using all modes on 432MHz to 245GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Worked All Britain 7MHz Contest takes place today, Sunday the 3rd of May, from 1000 to 1400UTC. Entries need to be with the contest manager by Wednesday, the 13th of May 2026. Please note that SSB is only used in all Worked All Britain contests. Full details of the rules can be found on the Worked All Britain website. On Tuesday, the 5th of May, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday, the 5th of May, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 6th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and a four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 6th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Sunday, the 10th of May, the RSGB 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK stations also send their postcode. Also on Sunday, the 10th of May, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Wave Contest runs from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 30th of April Last week was about as good as it gets at this point in the solar cycle. We had a solar flux index in the 140s and a Kp index that was pretty flat, often below 2. That's good news for HF as it means the ionosphere had a chance to settle and, although not record-breaking, a solar flux index of 140 to 150 is very usable. There were numerous C and M-class solar flares, but these were relatively minor, and the latest forecasts show a 70% chance for additional M-flares and a 20% chance for an isolated strong X-flare. This all came together to give a maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path of around 21 to 24MHz, often just peaking around 28MHz. This gave the odd 10m band opening, but these were sparse and not very strong. DXpeditions to be worked this week, according to DXWorld.net, include E51TLM in the South Cook Islands; T31TTT from Kanton Island; FO/F6BCW in French Polynesia; XT2AW from Burkina Faso and 3G0Z on Robinson Crusoe Island. So, which bands should you be looking at? The 20, 17 and 15m bands will probably give the best results, but don't completely rule out the two higher bands that may show occasional surprises. We are now starting the Sporadic-E season, so look out for short-lived but strong openings around Europe on the 12 and 10m bands. Next week, NOAA predicts a solar flux index of between 130 and 140, with a Kp index of 2 or 3. Unsettled conditions are forecast for the 7th and 8th of May with a potential Kp index of 5. As always, keep an eye on solarham.com  for almost real-time reports of solar activity. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The excellent tropo conditions for some parts of the country recently are likely to be slightly subdued over this weekend, but there are signs that another period of high-pressure weather will return as we move through the coming week. Unlike the recent dry weather, there are likely to be a few showery spells with a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. Meteor scatter is probably enhanced next week by the Eta Aquarids, which peak on Wednesday, the 6th of May, and are associated with Comet Halley. The aurora prospects are probably moving away from their spring activity period, but check the Kp index as usual for high values above 5. The Sporadic-E season is slowly limbering up, and it's well worth checking for activity, initially on the 10 and 6m bands. Check for SSB and CW activity as well as digital modes. Work continues on the propquest.co.uk  website. There are still some missing elements, but it is hoped that these will be back soon. EME now. The Moon is moving towards minimum declination today, Sunday, the 3rd of May, so there will be short Moon windows and low peak elevation. Path losses are still increasing until apogee on Monday, the 4th of May, when the Moon is at its furthest from Earth at 405,840km. 144MHz sky temperature reaches a maximum of more than 2,800 Kelvin on Wednesday, the 6th of May. And that's all from the propagation team this week.  

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comVK9/C - Cocos (Keeling) – Mark, VK9BSA, and Deena, VK9DEE, have received their radio equipment at Cocos (Keeling) and are now active on the air until May 17th, with operations mainly on weekends and after work, as they balance family life on the island. This Sunday will be a dedicated radio day, and Deena (VK9DEE) is interested in connecting with other women on air. Frequency and timing details will be shared via email, with SSB as the chosen mode and plans for regular after-work activity on the 20-meter band.CT3 - Madeira Island - CT9/DL1BU is QRV and continues until May 2. Marc says for his holiday he took his IC-7300, 10-meter-tall fiberglass mast, and an off center fed dipole, the "Aerial51." His first day was devoted to setting it all up and testing. CN – Morocco - CN2NQV is the call for F8NQV who is QRV until July 11. The QTH will be the town of Sidi Rahal Chatai, on the Atlantic, 70 kilometers south of Casablanca. He plans 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10M, with target frequencies 7155, 14345, 18140, 21165 and 28575. Pascal's gear runs 100 watts to a Diamond vertical on the rooftop, about 15 meters above ground level.5Z - Kenya - 5Z4/MM0ZBH is QRV Holiday Style until June 15, with 100 watts and wire antennas. QSL via the MM0ZBH home QTH, but his first choice is Logbook of the World for your request. Direct is SAE, no USD or IRC needed. Paul says "I am happy to pay return postage."PJ4 – Bonaire - PJ4TB is QRV again by TJ, PE1OJR, TJ (short for Theerd), until May 4, holiday style, 40-6M SSB and FT8/FT4. TJ has an IC-7300, a "PAC-12" vertical that he's modified to cover 40-6, and an end fed wire antenna. He says he only uses LoTW (and Club Log, but he also mentions QRZ.com) for e-confirmations, no eQSL or traditional cards by mail. His LoTW and QRZ uploads are once a week.FO/M – Marquesas - TX9W, "Team Marquesas," arrived on Hiva Oa and made their way to their site to begin their setup. The team leader, K5WE, Jeff, had "a medical emergency" the night before the departure early Saturday, he spent the night in the hospital, and the decision is being made when and whether he can join the team. Setup is underway and they are QRV.Z6 – Kosovo - Z66SP with his Polish teammates will be QRV from near Pristina, April 23-28, CW, SSB and FT8, 160-10. They will be in the "SP DX RTTY Contest" weekend, and will also do some 6M and QO-100. QSL using Club Log OQRS and LoTW. https://z66sp.spdxc.org/7P, LESOTHO - 7P8WR will be QRV until May 1 by IZ0EVI, IZ0EWJ and IZ6DSQ. For antennas, they will have a spiderbeam covering 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10, a three-element "Skipper" for 10, loop for 20-10, another loop for 40-15, and a 40M vertical. For radios, it's three IC-7300s and an IC-706MKIIG, plus amplifiers. QSL via IZ0EWJ, bureau or direct, LoTW, QRZ.com, but no eQSLAll QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW, Club Log, and QRZ.com. https://www.mdxc.support/7p8wr/JT, MONGOLIA - Vladimir R9LR and Denis R8LCM will be QRV as JT0LR from rare grids NN49, NN48, NN58 and perhaps NN59. Activity between April 25 and April 30 on various bands using CW, SSB and digi. Satellite QO-100 also. QSL via R9LR. 4W - Timor-Leste - DX World reports 4W/EA2TA, Christian, has the licenses in hand now. He, 4W/EA3NT and 4W/IZ7ATN are now on the air from Timor Island. Their operation continues to April 28, 80-6M CW, SSB and FT8. 60M is not allowed in Timor-Leste, so no 60M for them. QSL all of them via IZ7ATN or use Logbook of the World.Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week!

Foundations of Amateur Radio The other day I went for a walk around the block for the first time in a while. It's something I did for a time and then for several reasons, mostly to do with health, didn't. For me it's the mental equivalent of having a shower with the added benefit of not having to dry my hair, in other words, it's a place I go to with the intent of generating shower thoughts. During my walk, away from the forces pulling me in all manner of directions, none of which have anything to do with amateur radio, away from my keyboard, away from my screen, away from technology challenges, although I'll admit that my phone was in my pocket, I took about twenty minutes to walk and daydream, to follow my thoughts and to see where they'd end up. I got to this point because sitting at my desk I was getting nowhere trying to put together my thoughts in any sequence at least resembling coherence. While it's happened before, it's not something that occurs often. The day before I'd started writing, almost as-if possessed, about what amateur radio means to me, but during my walk I started wondering about the people who leave this hobby and the community embracing it. I've often said that F-troop is a weekly net for new and returning amateurs, both people who have a license that's still hot off the printer, and others who have one typed up on an IBM Selectric, signed with a quill, ink faded with age, paper yellowed by sunlight, potentially with coffee mug rings on it, stashed somewhere in a drawer. I wondered about those returning amateurs and asked myself about the nature of leaving a hobby. It occurred to me that people leave for many different reasons, and it would be foolhardy to consider that all of those reasons are controllable by our community. While bullying and arguments exist, each responsible for their share of people leaving, it seems to me that some amateurs leave because there's too much other stuff going on in their lives, things that actively or passively prevent amateurs from participating. This is difficult for me to relate to because for me, amateur radio is an intrinsic part of my life, in that it often quietly shapes how I view the world and learn from it. I see it when I notice a television antenna pointing in the wrong direction, when I install a new Wi-Fi router somewhere, when a signal is lost to a manned mission around the Moon, when I open the garage door and when I read that researchers at the National Institute for Standards and Technology, better known as NIST, have developed a new method for creating chips that process photons similarly to how traditional chips process electrons which can generate a rainbow of colours, though they didn't use the letter "u" to describe them. While those examples might be somewhat obvious, amateur radio is also there when I see someone share a tiny electronic paper screen on social media and I consider how I might use that when I go portable. It's there when I'm walking in a park and when I'm looking at a beach, it's there when I see metal artworks or painters poles at the local hardware store and when I watch a movie with radios anywhere on screen. It's there when the topic of physics arises and when some electromagnetic phenomenon occurs. Like radio waves and air, it's pretty much part of my daily existence. I will add that this same depth of connection exists between me and computers. Watching "Flight of the Conchords" I cannot help but notice that Murray's computer keeps changing and that I miss the Commodore Vic 20 sitting behind him surrounded by ever changing New Zealand tourism posters. In other words, I cannot imagine ever not having radio or computers in my life. I'm mentioning all this because my experience isn't universal. While I'm sure that I'm not alone in this deep affinity, the community as a whole invariably ranges between people who could take or leave the hobby at a moment's notice and those who couldn't live without it and beyond our community there are people who are, depending on your perspective, blissfully or woefully, unaware of our existence. All this to say, your experience of this hobby is not the same as that for everyone else, neither is your experience of life. This is revealed more clearly in what we think the hobby means, whether or not FT8 is a blessing or a curse, contesting is ridiculous or amazing, why 40m is better than 20m or vice-versa and if the hobby died when the ITU stopped requiring Morse code, or saw a rebirth. It should be obvious by now, but I think it's important to be explicit. Amateur radio is your hobby. It's what it means for you. Not for your mate, not for me, not for the people in your club, the local email list or social media. Just you. So, use this as an opportunity to think about this, in my not so humble opinion, absolutely amazing hobby and what place it has in your life. I'm Onno VK6FLAB

GB2RS News Sunday, the 26th of April 2026 The news headlines: The RSGB Board holds its first post-AGM meeting RSGB 2026 Convention announcement Celebrate World Morse Day with the RSGB Following the RSGB 2026 AGM on Saturday, the 18th of April, the new Board met and co-opted Dr Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, onto the Board under Article 37. The Board then elected Dr Bryant as Board Chair. The purpose of these decisions is to allow newly elected Directors to learn more about the Society and the Board, with the intention that a new Board Chair will be elected from within the new Board in due course. The RSGB Board would like to record its thanks to Stewart for being willing to extend his role in this way. Board Directors also appointed Will Richardson, 2E0WYA, to the volunteer role of Executive Director of Strategic Oversight to help drive forward work on Board effectiveness. As announced previously, Stephen Purser, GW4SHF and Stephen Ramsden, M0CCA, swapped roles after the AGM, so Stephen Ramsden is now Company Secretary and Stephen Purser is Deputy Company Secretary. The Board congratulated John Moss, G0KTW and Ben Lloyd, GW4BML, on their election as Directors and Patrick Wood, 2E0IFB and Graham Smith, G4NMD, on their endorsement as Nominated Directors. The Board Liaison roles are being discussed and will be announced in due course. If you were unable to join the event live, you can catch up with all the AGM proceedings at rsgb.org/agm  Tickets for the RSGB 2026 Convention go on sale on Friday, the 1st of May, and ahead of this, the Society has made some exciting announcements. Not only has it released the first round of speakers, including one on a highly anticipated DXpedition, but it has also shared details of two new workshops that will be taking place. Will you choose NanoVNA Essentials or AI – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly? For those looking to extend the weekend's activities, the RSGB has confirmed that it has partnered with The National Museum of Computing to offer Convention attendees the opportunity to visit on Friday, the 9th of October. The RSGB is delighted that this fantastic annual event is being sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons and that AMSAT-UK will once again be holding its Colloquium during the Convention this year. The RSGB 2026 Convention is taking place between the 9th and 11th of October at Kents Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. Find out more by going to rsgb.org/convention Tomorrow, Monday the 27th, is World Morse Day. The day honours the birthday of the inventor of Morse code, Samuel Morse, who was born on this day in 1791. The RSGB is continuing its annual celebrations of this day by releasing a video with a question in Morse code for you to answer, which this year is sent by the RSGB CW Champion, Laura Robertson, MM7BFL. Once you have used your Morse skills to decipher the question, get involved by leaving your answer in the comments section under the post. You could even share a video of you sending your answer in Morse! You can view the video tomorrow on the RSGB YouTube channel, or via the RSGB's Facebook, Instagram or X pages.  RSGB members, if you are planning a trip this spring, why not include a visit to one of the Society's partner museums? Whether you're heading to West Wales, Cornwall, Suffolk, Dorset, West Sussex or Milton Keynes, you will be able to save between 20% and 50% on standard admission prices. Visit rsgb.org/partner-museums for your personalised discount voucher. RSGB members also receive free entry to Bletchley Park, which includes the RSGB National Radio Centre. Time is running out to apply and be part of the RSGB team that will be going to Austria for this year's Youngsters on the Air summer camp. This fantastic opportunity is for radio amateurs aged between 16 and 30. The programme will include activities such as experimenting with underground propagation, Summits on the Air, Caves on the Air, as well as having the chance to ascend a 2,000m summit in a cable car and make a long-distance VHF/UHF QSO with your handheld. All in the incredible surroundings of the Austrian Alps. The deadline to apply for this exciting opportunity is Friday, the 1st of May. Get involved by going to rsgb.org/yota-camp and selecting ‘YOTA Austria 2026' from the right-hand menu. UKBOTA's Historic Counties event will be running throughout May for both activators and hunters. Stations will be on the air to celebrate the unique historic structure of the UK. More details can be found at ukbota.net/HC26 Did you know that the weekly RSGB News can be viewed on air and via the web as a television stream? Join Alison, G8ROG, each Sunday at 9 am UK time for a live broadcast of the GB2RS News. Kindly hosted by the British Amateur Television Club, go to batc.org.uk/live/gb2rs to watch the show. Alongside Alison's live presentation, you can view additional text and pictures relating to each news item. The transmission is also relayed via GB3HV in Hampshire using Digital ATV. If you enjoy watching GB2RS as well as listening, there is a live Digital ATV broadcast from Clive, G3GJA, via the Hull 23cm repeater GB3EY at 10 am UK time. If you are not in range of the repeater itself, you can still watch the broadcast, again courtesy of the BATC website, by going to batc.org.uk/live/gb3ey And now for details of rallies and events The EMC & Compliance International Exhibition will be held at the Holiday Inn in Oxford from the 29th of April to the 1st of May 2026. The exhibition is open to all interested parties and is concerned with all aspects of EMC. For more information, including registration details, visit emcandci.com The Broadcast Engineering Museum has an open day on Sunday, the 3rd of May, from 11 am. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. Visitors will be treated to one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events Thorpe Camp Hamfest is taking place on Sunday, the 3rd of May at Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Tattershall Thorpe, LN4 4PL. Traders can arrive from 7 am, and visitors are welcome from 9 am. The entry fee is £5 per person. For more information, visit thorpecamp.org On Monday, the 4th of May, Dartmoor Spring Radio Rally will take place at the Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments, free parking and available. The doors will be open from 10 am to 1 pm, and admission costs £3. More details are available at dartmoorradioclub.uk Now the Special Event news Special event stations OL900CO, OL900JAR and OL900LT are active until December to celebrate the town of Jaromer in the Czech Republic. For more information, including details of awards that are available for working the stations, visit hamawards.eu On Saturday, the 2nd of May, between 9 am and 5 pm, Dundee Amateur Radio Club will be operating from Broughty Ferry Lifeboat Station using the callsign GB1BFL. The station will be active in support of SOS Radio Week. For updates on frequencies and modes in use, visit the Club's Facebook page. More details are available via dundee-amateur-radio.co.uk Now the DX news Using the callsign GB9IOW, a team of Belgian operators will be active from the Isle of Wight, EU-120, from Tuesday, the 28th of April until Tuesday, the 5th of May. Listen for activity on the HF bands, via the QO-100 satellite and on 23cm EME.  For more information, visit QRZ.com Paul, VP9KF, is active from Bermuda, NA-005, until Thursday, the 30th of April. He is operating using CW only on the HF bands. The station was spotted recently on the 17 and 20m bands. You can find more details at vp9kf.com  Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 26th, the UK Microwave Group EHF Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 76 to 241GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The SP DX RTTY Contest started at 1200UTC yesterday, the 25th, and runs until 1200UTC today, Sunday, the 26th of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code. Also, today, the 26th, the British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 25 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your six-character locator. The UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest started at 1200UTC yesterday, the 25th, and ends at 1200UTC today, Sunday, the 26th of April. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.  Full rules, including UK and EI area codes, are available via tinyurl.com/ukeiccrules Tomorrow, the 27th, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 28th, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 29th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday the 30th, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Saturday, the 2nd of May, the RSGB 432MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400 to 2000UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB 432 to 245GHz Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday, the 2nd of May and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday, the 3rd of May. Using all modes on 432 to 245GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon starts at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 2nd of May and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday, the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. The ARI International DX Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 2nd of May and ends at 1159UTC on Sunday, the 3rd of May. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations also give their province code. On Sunday, the 3rd of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Sunday, the 3rd of May, the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using SSB only on the 40m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 23rd of April Last week's HF propagation was dominated by the effects of a high-speed stream from a large coronal hole on the Sun. This pushed the Kp index up to 4 and 5 at times, with the result that maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, were lowered. The ionosphere struggled, and often the MUF over a 3,000km path was below 21MHz. Yes, there were some openings up to 10m, but they were generally weak. Checks showed that paths opened up to Brazil, Kenya and Chile on the 10m band using FT8, but the signals were well down in the noise and barely workable. Get used to this, as it could be the norm for the next few years! Meanwhile, the solar flux index increased to 116 by Thursday, the 16th of April, no doubt aided by active sunspot group 4420. Next week, NOAA forecasts that the solar flux index could rise to 125. It also predicts that the Kp index may remain low due to a lack of coronal hole activity. Fingers crossed that we don't have any coronal mass ejections over the next week. If this pans out as predicted, we could have some decent HF conditions over the next seven days. Yes, the MUFs may be lower, but 14, 18 and perhaps 21MHz could be usable, with very occasional openings on 24 and 28MHz. DX to be worked this week includes TX9W from the Marquesas Islands; VP9KF in Bermuda; 7P8WR from Lesotho; C5B, C5C and C5D in The Gambia; D60DX in Comoros; and JD1BMH operating from Ogasawara And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The strong region of high pressure will remain with us for the next two weeks. So tropo should be considered a first-choice mode for a while. The main criteria for the quality of any resulting tropo is moisture. This is because moisture is a component in the calculation of the refractive index of the air. High pressure usually produces dry air above any temperature inversion, but we may not always get the moisture below the inversion. The end of last week was good with reports of beacons in Norway and Sweden into JO02 on 1.3GHz because of moisture present below the inversion. However, if the dry easterly wind returns, it may not go so well. Meteor scatter should continue to be uplifted by the declining Lyrids meteor stream, which peaked last week, and rain scatter is off the menu since the charts are dominated by high-pressure systems. Aurora is showing as occasional weak alerts, but apart from the odd fluttery signals on the LF bands, nothing too interesting at the moment. As usual, watch for the Kp index going up to 5. Keeping the best until last, we are approaching the period when Sporadic-E usually becomes a mode of interest. Work is well underway on a rewrite of the Propquest website, which should be ready soon. This will be the go-to place for the daily updates during the 2026 Sporadic-E season. EME now, and the Moon is moving into a lower noise position. Declination is high, but falling, and path losses will increase as we move away from the Moon's perigee, its closest point to Earth, which occurred on Friday, the 17th of April. Apogee, the Moon's furthest point from Earth and the point of highest path losses, occurs on Sunday, the 17th of May. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Join me and Sean, W9FFF, from the @DudeTested channel to talk about this ongoing gamification of FT8 in #hamradioBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ham-radio-2-0--2042782/support.

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of theDailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com 3X – Guinea – Elvira, IV3FSG, is QRV from3X3A on Roume Island (AF-051), Republic of Guinea, until April 25. Thisself-funded, single-operator DXpedition will focus on making contacts across HFand 6m bands using SSB, CW, and FT8/4/2 modes, utilizing two Icom IC-7300radios and multiple antennas. Roume Island is historically known as the"Treasure Island" of West Africa. https://www.qrz.com/db/3X3A   Z8 - South Sudan - The International DX Pressand OM3JW report that Diya, Z81D, aka YI1DZ, has had his World Food Programcontract extended by eight months and returns to Juba this week.  He will be on the air in his spare time, FT8and SSB, mostly on weekends.  QSL toOM3JW through OQRS.   C5 – Gambia - The 425 DX News reportsthat F4AGG and F5RAV will be on the air as C5D on digital modes RTTY, PSK andFT8 and as C5C on SSB and CW, between April 24 and May 8.  They plan a side trip to the Bijol Islands,AF-060, as well.  From the island thecallsign will be C5B, and on the RS-44 satellite.  C5D's QSL is through LoTW only.  C5C and C5B are both via LoTW or direct viaF5RAV.  4W6DA, Timor-Leste - VK4MAP, DarrenJohnston, has been active holiday-style since April 2 as 4W6DA. Heis mostly on 10M SSB, but is also on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 12M, using an ICOMIC-7300 at 100W into two wire antennas. QSL via VK4MAP and include four U.S.dollars or four Euros.   3B9N, Rodrigues Island - VU3OPT (akaOM0GA), Suvarna, has just completed the first week of a seven-week DXpeditionto Port Mathurin, Rodrigues Island (grid square MH1Øqh), where he is operatingas 3B9N. He will be there until May 20. He plans a trip to Lakshadweep (VU7) inthe second half of this year and is also considering a trip to Sri Lanka (4S)or Bangladesh (S2).D6 -Comoros -After completing his FH/UR9IDX operation from Mayotte Ivan will continues his journeyin the Indian Ocean with a month-long stop in the Comoros as D60DX. Listenfor him on CW and SSB S0 - WesternSahara – Naama, S01A, and Azman,S01AH, will be QRV as S09S until May 31st, operating from the Sahrawi Republic.Theyare running 100 watts to dipole antennas and multiband beams. They will beoperating QO-100, from several grids. Look for S09S to also be QRV duringthe CQ WPX CW Contest, May 30-31. QSL via Club Log and LoTW. 8R –Guyana - 8R1TMis QRV until May 10, weekdays between 2300-0300Z on 160-6M CW,SSB, digital and satellite.  PY1SAD, Aldir, says on the weekends it's"full time" on 160-6, the same modes. OX – Greenland- Bo, OZ1DJJ, isQRV as OX3LX from Aasiaat Island (NA-134), Greenland until April 25th. He isthere on a work assignment and will be QRV in his spare time.VK9/C - Cocos (Keeling) – Mark, VK9BSA, and Deena, VK9DEE, are QRV fromCocos-Keeling. Band conditions have not been favorable, and Mark willmainly be operating on weekends and some evenings. There is no fixedoperating schedule yet. FO/M - Marquesas Islands- The TX9W teamheading to the Marquesas Islands report they will depart in eleven days.They plan to be active from Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands on April 19.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 19th of April 2026 The news headlines: The RSGB has published a question bank for full-level examinations Catch up with the RSGB 2026 AGM on YouTube The RSGB has announced two new youth team volunteers At its 2024 meeting, the RSGB Examination Standards Committee agreed, with Ofcom approval, to publish the Full level examination question bank after a thorough vetting of the questions by the Examinations and Syllabus Review Group had taken place. ESC Chair Tony Kent, G8PBH, is pleased to announce that the question bank is now available via rsgb.org/exam-questions. It will also be accessible via links on the RSGB web pages for exam candidates and trainers. The copyright to the question bank is held by the RSGB. Developed by Aubrey, M8AUB, the user interface works on PCs and mobile devices with a web browser. It allows users to access questions in different ways, for example, by syllabus section, and even to create and take their own mock examinations. The Society believes this initiative will make a significant contribution to training and should become a valuable resource for both candidates and trainers. After it has had time to assess its impact at Full level, the ESC will consider rolling it out to the other examination levels of Foundation, Intermediate and Direct to Full. As candidates and trainers will now be able to use the interface to generate their own mock examinations from the question bank, the RSGB has removed all the Full Licence level mock papers currently on its website. If you encounter any issues with the questions or the question bank interface web page, please report them via the online examination informal query form. You can find this at the bottom of the exam forms web page at rsgb.org/exam-forms The RSGB would like to thank everyone who joined the RSGB 2026 AGM, which was held online yesterday, 18 April. If you missed the live event, you're able to watch the full livestream on the Society's YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB As well as the formal AGM business, there was a special message from the RSGB President, and the Board answered questions from RSGB members on a wide range of topics. The AGM was followed by a presentation on the Society's work to defend the spectrum and ensure that radio amateurs can enjoy amateur radio across the bands. If you would like to read more about the RSGB's work in protecting the spectrum, including successes in spectrum access and defence, as well as current concerns, visit rsgb.org/spectrum-protection. Winners of the RSGB 2026 Construction Competition and the RSGB Trophies were also announced. Timestamps will be available in the video summary on YouTube, allowing you to skip to particular sections you wish to watch. Go to rsgb.org/agm to find out more about the AGM, including personal statements from the newly elected and nominated Board Directors, as well as the Regional Representatives. The RSGB is delighted to announce two new volunteer youth team roles as it continues to grow and strengthen its support for young radio amateurs across the UK.  Leon Shaw, M0VUF, will be the Youth Vice Chair, working closely with the Youth Chair Chris Aitken, MM0WIC to help guide and develop the expanding Youth Team. Sophie Bourne, M9LBW, will collaborate with Chris over the coming months with the intention of taking on full responsibility for the Youth Champion for Schools role later this year. Both Leon and Sophie represented the RSGB at last year's YOTA summer camp, supported the Youth stand at the RSGB 2025 Convention and took part in a Tonight@8 episode to share their experiences of amateur radio and how it has shaped their interests. Sophie also brought fresh ideas to the recent RSGB Membership Strategy Workshop, which will help to shape future youth engagement. The RSGB National Radio Centre will be closed to visitors on Monday, the 27th and Tuesday, the 28th of April 2026, due to essential maintenance work taking place. RSGB volunteers look forward to welcoming you on an alternative day. Don't forget that if you are an RSGB member, you can receive free entry to Bletchley Park, which includes the RSGB National Radio Centre, by downloading and printing a personalised voucher at rsgb.org/bpvoucher International Marconi Day is on Saturday, the 25th of April. This worldwide event is organised by the Cornish Amateur Radio Club to celebrate the birth of Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. Stations from around the world are coming together to celebrate the life of this remarkable man. For more information, including details of how to take part, visit gx4crc.com/imd Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  . The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Cambridge Repeater Group Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 19th of April, at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton CB22 6RN. Traders can gain access from 7.30 am, and the doors open to visitors at 9.30 am. Entry costs £4, but there will be a discount for multi-occupancy vehicles. For more information, email rally2026@cambridgerepeaters.net and visit cambridgerepeaters.net   The Broadcast Engineering Museum is having an open day on Sunday, the 3rd of May, from 11 am. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. It is home to one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events Now the Special Event news The Ramsbury Amateur Radio DX Group will be active as GB80RY on Saturday, the 25th and Sunday, the 26th of April 2026. The station will be on the air to commemorate 80 years since the decommissioning of RAF Ramsbury in Wiltshire. Operators will be using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. Special event station GB2JAF will be active on Saturday, the 25th of April, from 10 am to celebrate the life and work of Professor Sir John Ambrose Fleming, the inventor of the Thermionic Valve. Look out for activity on the 40 and 20m bands using SSB. There will also be some activity via the GB3LV repeater and EchoLink. More information is available at QRZ.com Now the DX news Phill, FK1TS is active again as C21TS from Nauru, OC-031, until July. He mainly operates using FT8 but may also try some SSB contacts. QSL via Logbook of the World or OQRS. QSOs are live-streamed on Club Log. Tom, VK2TBC, will be active as VK0TBC from Casey Station in Antarctica until December.  He operates using FT8 and SSB. For more information and updates, visit vk2tbc.com  Now the contest news On Tuesday, the 21st of April, the RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 22nd of April, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 25th and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday, the 26th of April. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.  Full rules, including UK and EI area codes, are available via tinyurl.com/ukeiccrules The SP DX RTTY Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 25th and runs until 1200UTC on Sunday, the 26th of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code. On Sunday, the 26th of April, the UK Microwave Group EHF Band Contest runs from 0800 to 2000UTC. Using all modes on 76 to 241GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Sunday, the 26th of April, the British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 25 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your six-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 16th of April 2026. Last week was characterised by a low Kp index and an equally low solar flux index. The Kp index was predominantly below 2 all week, thanks to a lack of Earth-directed CMEs or coronal holes. Unfortunately, that is about to change. The solar index has been consistently around the 100 mark, dipping as low as 93 on the 11th and only as high as 105 on Thursday, the 16th of April. This has meant settled ionospheric conditions that have not been outstanding but have at least been reliable. The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path has reached 24MHz at times, but often battles to reach 21MHz. This is a taste of things to come over the next few years as we descend towards sunspot minimum. The settled conditions mean, however, that there has been DX to work. The CDXC Slack group reports FT8 and CW contacts with 3X3A in Guinea on the 17, 15 and 12m bands. 3B9G in Mauritius has been logged on the 15m band using CW. D60DX in Comoros was worked on the 15m band using CW. Another DX includes 9V1DW in Singapore on the 17m band and TN8GD in the Republic of the Congo on the 20m band using CW. Now the bad news. A very large coronal hole on the Sun is rotating to become Earth-facing. A high-speed solar wind stream flowing from this zone reached the Earth last Friday, the 17th of April. Active Kp4 and minor G1 geomagnetic storming may be possible today, the 19th of April. So, we can expect reduced MUFs and poorer HF conditions. DXpeditions active this week include V47EM on St Kitts and Nevis; OX3LX from Greenland; T31TTT in Central Kiribati, TX9W from the Marquesas Islands; D60DX in Comoros and 3X3A in Guinea. NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will climb next week, perhaps reaching a high of 145 by Thursday, the 23rd of April. After the geomagnetic disturbances from the coronal hole die down, we may have two or more days of settled conditions before more disruption around Saturday, the 25th of April. This is coupled with a predicted Kp index of 4 – just in time for International Marconi Day! And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The main note on the weather influence is that once high pressure becomes established at this time of the year, it can be remarkably persistent. In this case, the high pressure that is now developing over the UK may remain in control until the end of the month.  Tropo will therefore be a mode of choice, but a cool north or north-easterly flow over the eastern side of the country will mean that western Britain fares best for any lift conditions. Over eastern areas, a cool northerly breeze will bring cloud and a few showers. The prospects for aurora are still worth checking out by noting the Kp index for values above 5 and preferably above 7. As we reported earlier, the effects of a large coronal hole may be reaching us today, the 19th. So, check the Kp index and listen for fluttery signals on the HF bands. Then get ready to turn your VHF beams northeast. As for meteor scatter, we are now coming up to the peak of the April Lyrids on Wednesday, the 22nd of April. We should see some activity increase beyond the random fare of recent weeks. In contrast, rain scatter may not be a good option with high pressure, or just isolated showers, not offering much for the microwave bands. We are rapidly heading towards May, when the prospects for Sporadic-E start to be worth checking. In the coming week, there are not too many suitable jet streams, which can be good regions to check for Sporadic-E. To get into practice for the new season, check the Sporadic-E blog on propquest.co.uk  for a jet stream map and look for spikes in the foEs trace on the graphs. The site is currently being worked on, so apologies for any dropouts. An update on EME prospects now. Moon declination reaches a maximum on Tuesday, the 21st of April. Moon perigee, its closest point to Earth, is today, Sunday, the 19th of April, so path losses will be at a minimum. Sky noise is slightly higher on Tuesday, the 21st of April, but this is minor and returns to low again on Friday, the 24th of April. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 12th of April 2026 The news headlines: Join the RSGB 2026 AGM livestream from around the world Learn about the Society's work defending the amateur radio spectrum RSGB representatives attending the NARSA rally World Amateur Radio Day is on Saturday, the 18th of April, and what better way to celebrate than by joining the RSGB 2026 AGM? The AGM will once again be taking place online so that as many RSGB members as possible can watch and take part. To join the livestream, all you need to do is go to rsgb.org/agm  at 10 am on Saturday. Ahead of the event, RSGB members are being asked to vote for their two preferred Elected Director Candidates, endorse the Nominated Director candidates and vote on the other resolutions. Members have until 9 am on the 16th of April 2026 to cast their votes. Candidate information and details of how to vote can be found on the Society's AGM web pages. During the AGM, members of the RSGB Board will be answering questions. You can choose one of three ways to submit your question. If you would like to talk to the Board directly and ask a question live via Zoom, you'll need to pre-register by 9 am tomorrow, Monday, the 13th of April. Alternatively, RSGB members can submit a written question until 9 am on Thursday. Priority is given to questions submitted in advance, but questions will also be taken via live chat on the day if there is time. The Society has announced that if large volumes of questions are received, it will only include two questions per person or organisation during the AGM, to ensure that as many people as possible are included. Find out more about these deadlines by selecting the ‘Ask the Board a question' link from the right-hand menu in the AGM web section. Following the formal business of the RSGB 2026 AGM, the Society is delighted that its spectrum experts Murray Niman, G6JYB and Barry Lewis, G4SJH, will be joined by the IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, who also holds the call G4HUA, and RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB. They will discuss the recent and current threats to the amateur radio spectrum and how the RSGB leads the input into many of the spectrum defences. RSGB EMC Chair John Rogers, M0JAV, will also talk about potential new major threats to the noise floor. RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA, will facilitate the discussion. Whether you're new to amateur radio or have been enjoying it for decades, this is an important presentation that you won't want to miss. If you are attending the NARSA rally today, Sunday the 12th of April, pop by and say hello to members of the RSGB team who are attending. The event is taking place at the Norbreck Hotel in Blackpool. As well as an RSGB book stall, you will find the RSGB Morse Competency Lead, Eric Arkinstall, M0KZB, who will be offering Morse competency tests for those who would like to test their skills. Members of the Society's Regional Team will also be there, as well as RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, who will be presenting the trophies for the construction competition, and best club website and stand at 1.30 pm. Find out more about the event at narsa.org.uk The RSGB had announced that Vaughan Ravenscroft, M0VRR, has stepped down as its Intruder Watch Coordinator. Ian Suart, GM4AUP, has taken on this role, in addition to being the OAS Coordinator. The RSGB Monitoring System, more popularly known as Intruder Watch, forms part of the IARU Monitoring System. It submits reports of non-amateur transmissions heard on the exclusive HF amateur bands to both the Ofcom Monitoring Station at Baldock and to IARU Region 1. Find out more about the service at rsgb.org/intruder-watch Don't forget that Tonight@8 will be live tomorrow night, on the RSGB YouTube channel and special BATC channel. The presentation will be delivered by Mark Foreman, G7LSZ, who is an associate professor of industrial materials recycling at a University in Sweden. He'll be discussing the recycling process of waste electronic and electrical equipment, and what happens to your rig when it is no longer working. Find out more at rsgb.org/webinars The next in the popular 145 Alive series of events takes place on Saturday, the 18th of April, from 1200 to 15:00 UTC. Many hundreds of operators are expected to be on the air using 145MHz FM and 144MHz SSB. For more information, go to the 145 Alive Facebook page or email 145aliveuk@gmail.com Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 12th, Holsworthy Amateur Radio Club Spring Radio Rally is taking place at Holsworthy Livestock Market, New Market Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. The doors open to the public at 10 am, and entry is £3 per person. There is a bring and buy area and catering on site. More details are available via the ‘Rally' tab at m0omc.co.uk Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday, the 19th of April at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton CB22 6RN. Traders can gain access from 7.30 am, and the doors open to visitors at 9.30 am. Entry costs £4, but there will be a discount for multi-occupancy vehicles. For more information, email rally2026@cambridgerepeaters.net  and visit cambridgerepeaters.net Now the Special Event news Special callsign SX100PAOK is operating until the 18th of May to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club. Look out for activity on all bands using CW, digital modes and SSB. A commemorative award is planned for participants, along with a QSL card to confirm QSOs. Visit QRZ.com  for more information and updates. To celebrate World Amateur Radio Day on Saturday, the 18th, members of the Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs are active as OO26WARD throughout April. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via the Bureau. Now the DX news Suvarna, VU3OPT, is active as 3B9N from Rodrigues Island, AF-017, until Wednesday, the 20th of May. He operates using CW and has been spotted on the 20, 15 and 10m bands. Visit 9n7ga.com  for more information. Herman, YB3GIH, is operating as 3X/YB3GIH from Boffa in Guinea until June. He operates using SSB on the 20 and 15m bands. QSOs are uploaded to eQSL, Club Log, and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news RSGB FT4 International Activity Day started at 1200 UTC yesterday, the 11th, and ends at 1200UTC today, Sunday, the 12th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. Tomorrow, the 13th, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030 UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 14th, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855 UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 14th, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 16th, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 18th, the PACCdigi Contest runs from 0700 to 1900 UTC. Using FT4, FT8 and RTTY on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report and serial number. PA stations also send their province code. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 9th of April 2026. After a pretty stormy run-up to Easter, from a geomagnetic disturbance point of view, the Sun has been quieter. In fact, the Kp index has been below 3 all week. Unfortunately, the solar flux index has also declined, standing at 108 on Thursday, the 9th of April. The only advantage has been a lack of solar flares. There have only been 12 minor C-class flares over the past three days compared with 29 C-class flares and six M-class flares on the 4th and 5th of April. We always look for a low Kp index over a higher solar flux index for better HF conditions. So how does this all affect HF propagation? The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path has been struggling to get up to 28MHz on most days. This leaves only 21 and 24MHz open after the initial post-dawn ionospheric build-up. This doesn't mean that 10m is dead, but it may be that the band is only open to DX and not open to Europe. This may change once the Sporadic-E season starts, but we are still a month away from that. DX being worked, according to the CDXC Slack group, includes 5W1SA in Samoa on 17m FT8, F0/F6BCW from French Polynesia on 12m CW and 3DA0TM in Eswatini on 20m USB. T31TTT on Kanton Island, Central Kiribati, has also been spotted on the 20 and 30m bands using FT4 and FT8. The DXpedition is focusing on FT modes, although the team is also operating some CW. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start around 105, but will increase a little over the week to reach the low 120s. Geomagnetic conditions are forecast to be quiet, with a maximum Kp index of 3 once we get over this weekend's predicted disruption, which has a forecast Kp index of 5. Then we are in for a rough ride next weekend, with a predicted Kp index of 6 on the 19th of April and disrupted conditions for three days. This is likely due to the return of active region 4392, which produced a coronal mass ejection that hit the Earth and caused the Kp index to rise to 7 on its last rotation. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The warm, dry weather of the middle of last week has left us with ideas of spring, but it has now been replaced by cooler, unsettled weather with rain or showers.  In fact, the next week or two will be generally unsettled, not atypical of April. This will be a good period for rain scatter on the upper GHz bands since April showers can be heavy and present good scatter opportunities. This unsettled weather means tropo retreats into the background for this period. Meteor scatter is still under the influence of random activity and best in the early morning hours. Aurora is currently looking more promising with solar conditions offering coronal holes and possible auroras as a result. Sporadic-E will start to make an appearance soon, especially on the 10m band, but realistically, we probably need to wait until we are into May before chances are more rewarding for the 6m band. It is often a feature of the early part of the Sporadic-E season that the traditional two periods of activity of the high season, morning and afternoon, start off as one broad period around the middle of the day. For EME operators, Moon declination is starting to climb again, going positive on Wednesday, the 15th of April. Earth-Moon-Earth path losses are past maximum now and continue to fall all week. 144MHz sky noise is high today, the 12th, and will fall to low for the rest of the week. Friday, the 17th of April, will be an exception as the Moon and Sun will be close in the sky.    And that's all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 5th of April 2026 The news headlines: Get to know the candidates in the RSGB 2026 elections Are you aged 16-30? Apply for this year's YOTA camp in Austria! RSGB EMC Committee releases new leaflet RSGB members – have you cast your vote in the RSGB 2026 elections yet? To help you get to know the candidates, the Society has prepared two sets of videos. The first will help you to get to know the three Elected Director candidates. Who do you think will best serve the Society and amateur radio? There are two vacancies for Elected Board Directors, and three nominations have been received, so your vote counts. The second set of videos focuses on the Nominated Director candidates who need your vote to endorse them. In each video set, you'll find an in-depth interview on a range of subjects, and a second shorter video with two quick questions about RSGB membership. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and take some time to watch these videos via rsgb.org/candidates and then go to rsgb.org/vote. Once you have logged into the voting site, you can select your two preferred Elected Director Candidates, endorse the Nominated Director candidates and vote on the other resolutions. Online voting is available 24 hours a day and closes at 9 am on Thursday, the 16th of April 2026. This year's Youngsters on the Air Summer Camp takes place between the 25th of July and the 1st of August in Wagrain, in the Austrian Alps. This is a chance of a lifetime for young RSGB members to represent their country and their national society. To be part of this fantastic event, you need to be an RSGB member, aged between 16 and 30, and passionate about all things radio. This year's camp is being organised by the IARU Region 1 Youth Committee, together with the Austrian National Amateur Radio Society. The camp is an opportunity for exciting experiences, to make new friends and to learn how to encourage other young people to get involved in amateur radio. You can apply to be part of the team or to be the Team Leader. Find out more and download the application form at rsgb.org/yota-camp. Applications must be submitted by Friday, the 1st of May. The RSGB EMC Committee has released a new leaflet explaining how to build a portable loop antenna to help radio amateurs find sources of EMF interference. Pair it with a portable receiver, and you can walk around an area, watching for changes in signal strength to pinpoint where interference is coming from. The antenna itself is easy to make from a short length of coaxial cable formed into a loop and a handful of coax connectors. Despite its small size, the antenna has directional properties, making it useful for locating the sources of interference. This is Leaflet 19 in the series of leaflets produced by the Committee and is called ‘A simple loop antenna for use in identifying sources of interference'. You can download it and all the other EMC leaflets in the series from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/emc The next Tonight@8 webinar is on Monday, the 13th of April. During the presentation, Mark Foreman, G7LSZ, will be looking at what happens when your rig goes to the shack in the sky. He will look at what recycling is, its purpose and the basics of recycling waste electronic and electrical equipment. The Tonight@8 webinars are livestreamed via the RSGB YouTube channel and special BATC channel, which means you can join the live chat and ask Mark any questions you may have on the topic. Find out more about this and other upcoming webinars at rsgb.org/webinars If you are a fan of digital voice modes, check out the 235 Alive DMR net. This weekly event takes place on TGIF Talk Group 235 on Sundays from 1830 to 1930UTC. All amateurs are welcome to join in. For details of how to connect, visit 235alive.com  or the 235 Alive Facebook page. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday, the 5th of April, from 11 am, the Broadcast Engineering Museum is holding an open day. The museum has one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world, including outside broadcast vehicles, TV cameras, videotape and telecine machines, audio equipment, transmitters, TV lighting and public address systems. The open day will include an exhibition of offshore pirate radio memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events On Saturday, the 11th of April, the 40th annual QRP Convention takes place at Digby Hall, Sherborne DT9 3AA. The doors will be open from 9.30 am, and admission costs £3. The event will include traders, a bring and buy area and club stalls. More information is available at yeovil-arc.com On Sunday, the 12th of April, Holsworthy Amateur Radio Club Spring Radio Rally is taking place at Holsworthy Livestock Market, New Market Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. Traders can gain entry from 8 am. The doors open to the public at 10 am, and entry is £3 per person. There will be a bring and buy area and catering on site. More details are available via the ‘Rally' tab at m0omc.co.uk The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally' and the ‘Blackpool Rally', will take place on Sunday, the 12th of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool, FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk Now the Special Event news Godalming Museum in Surrey is hosting a special event station GB2MGY on Saturday, the 11th of April, from 11 am to 2 pm. The station is operating to celebrate the birthday of Jack Phillips, one of the Morse operators on the Titanic. Visitors to the museum can learn Morse code and send a message to earn a certificate. Find out more at godalmingmuseum.co.uk/whatson Special callsign YR100RC is active until the 30th of September to celebrate the centenary of Romania's first amateur radio club. Look for activity on the HF bands using FT8 and SSB. For details of a certificate that is available for working the station, visit tinyurl.com/YR100RC Now the DX news The Ramsbury Amateur Radio DX Group will be active as GB1RY during the first two weekends in April from the disused USAAF Ramsbury airfield for Airfields on the Air. The team will be operating using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. Paul, WA4PAW, is active as C6APS from Great Abaco, A-080, in the Bahamas until Sunday, the 12th of April. He operates using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, OQRS or via Paul's home call. Now the contest news The SP DX CW and SSB Contest started at 1500UTC yesterday, the 4th, and ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday, the 5th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code. Today, Sunday the 5th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 7th, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 7th, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 8th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 8th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 9th, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB FT4 International Activity Day starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 11th, and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday, the 12th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Wednesday, the 1st of April. Over the last week, we have had a fair sprinkling of sunspots, along with some enormous coronal holes, including one almost rectangular hole. Coronal holes are lower-energy areas on the Sun with open magnetic field lines, allowing solar plasma to flow out. Geomagnetic conditions have mainly been settled, with the Kp index hitting a maximum of 3.67 over the past five days. We had a long M1.3 solar flare at 0415UTC on Saturday, the 28th of March and an X1.5 class solar flare on Monday, the 30th of March. Active region 4405 erupted at 0318UTC and launched a halo coronal mass ejection, or CME, into space that hit the Earth on Wednesday, the 1st of April. Meanwhile, the solar flux index has remained above 140 for a few days, which bodes well for HF propagation. NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start at 145 at the beginning of the coming week and fall to 112 by Saturday, the 11th of April. Geomagnetic conditions are set to be unsettled from Thursday, the 9th, to Sunday, the 12th of April, with a potential Kp index of 5 or even 6. If this comes to pass, expect lower maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, and disrupted HF conditions, especially on polar paths. HF DX to look out for this week includes T31TTT in Central Kiribati, which is active until Tuesday the 14th of April; FO/F6BCW in French Polynesia, which is operating until Friday the 10th of April; CE0Y/DJ4EL on Easter Island until Saturday the 11th of April; and TJ1GD/P on Mondoleh Island, Cameroon, which is available until Monday the 20th of April. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The equinoxes are a time of the year when the Atlantic jet stream typically blows across the UK, as it migrates north from the Mediterranean in the winter to near Iceland in the summer. The weather for the coming week is going to see a succession of lows driven by the Atlantic jet stream crossing the UK with bands of rain and scattered blustery showers. These may represent chances of some rain scatter for those on the upper GHz bands, but this pattern suggests limited tropo options. The prospects for meteor scatter are no better since we remain some way short of the next major meteor shower in late April. In these situations, your best chances are from random meteors, which tend to peak in the early pre-dawn hours. The equinox also gets credit as being a preferred time for auroras since there is a better coupling between the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind. It is too early in the year for much Sporadic-E activity, but keep a check on the Sporadic-E graphs on propquest.co.uk for signs of brief upticks. Incidentally, some maintenance work is currently underway on the website, so apologies for any interruptions. For EME operators, Moon declination is now negative, reaching its minimum on Wednesday, the 8th of April. At this point, the Moon is up for only six hours and gets to a mere nine degrees elevation in the UK. The Moon is also furthest away, or at its apogee, on Tuesday, the 7th of April, so path losses are at their highest. 144MHz sky noise starts low but quickly climbs to a high of more than 2,700 Kelvin on Wednesday, the 8th of April.   And that's all from the propagation team this week.

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com CY0S DXpedition Update - The CY0S DXpedition started operations from Sable Island on March 18 at 2140Z. Although they intended to use Super Fox mode on FT8, technical issues led them to operate in Fox and Hound mode instead. All five stations are now active, and a livestream is available via Club Log.  A2 – Botswana - HB9SHD, Remo, is currently operating from Botswana under the callsign A255HD (yes A 2 5 5 HD), having previously been active as ZS2/HB9SHD earlier in March. He expresses gratitude to A2NEW, John, for assistance with his license renewal. Remo operates in casual holiday style using an FT-891 radio and an end-fed antenna for 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. So far, he has been reported on FT8 on 20, 15 and 10 meters. QSL cards can be sent via bureau or direct (no money needed, just a self-addressed envelope). S2 – Bangladesh - The guys are currently off air as the team is further investigating a noise problem at their QTH. They might have found the issue and are addressing it at this minute. They say QRX, and hope to be back on shortly – with better RX.  XX9 - Macao - The XX9W team began operations on 3/22  just before 0900Z. They have been reported on FT8 on 15 and 30 meters and 20 CW. They have 8 rigs.   T31 - Central Kiribati - The Rebel DX Group announced that their T31TTT DXpedition to Kanton, Central  Kiribati, will involve two weeks of operations with a possible plan to establish a permanent remote station at the government site on T31. The main focus will be on digital modes, especially to give operators with less powerful stations a good chance to make contacts and get logged. Duplicate  QSOs are not a concern-participants are welcome to call repeatedly until their  contact is confirmed. The team will also have one CW and one SSB station  active.  The digital operation plan includes running up to 14 radios simultaneously,  with two radios per band. Multiple frequencies will be active at once, using both MSHV multistream and Super Fox modes. As traffic decreases, all stations will return to MSHV multistream operation only. https://www.qrz.com/db/T31TTT   HR – Honduras - KN2P, N7VZ and W7UM are now QRV using callsign HQ9UM until March 31.  They are on 160-10 SSB, CW and FT8 and use LoTW for QSLing.  And they have the HQ9X callsign for the CQ WPX SSB weekend.  Otherwise, they will be holiday style.  CE0Y - Easter Island - Change of plans for DJ4EL, Markus's, Easter Island Trip as his expected 3G0YE callsign will not be used. He now expects to use CE0Y/DJ4EL. Despite these licensing challenges, Markus's Starlink equipment is prepared for Club Log live streaming during the trip March 28-April 11.  9J – Zambia - DM7XX, Robert, is QRV as 9J2RO from the Fountain Gate Crafts & Trades School until March 30.   YJ – Vanuatu - VK2YUS, Chris Ayres is QRV as YJ0CA from Vanuatu until April 2, SSB only, the same gear as previously, an IC-7300 to small amplifier, and simple wire antennas, 40-10.  He says his main operating times are likely to be between 2100-1000Z.    YJ - Vanuatu - JK1JXZ, Aki, is also QRV from Vanuatu as YJ1JXZ until April 3, active on 80-6 meter bands after 5 PM (local time) on weekdays and all day on weekends.   E5/S - South Cook Islands DJ5NQ, Frank, will be operating as E51ANQ from Rarotonga, South Cook Islands, until the end of March. He will operate on CW and SSB in a holiday style operation, running 100 watts and a short G5RV antenna at 15 meters height. QSL cards can be sent via DJ5NQ, either through the Bureau or direct.  VK9/c - Cocos (Keeling) - From the Daily DX, VK9BSA on Cocos Keeling Island will be activated by Mark, VK6BSA, along with Deena, VK9DEE,  (aka VK6DEE), until May.    

GB2RS News Sunday, the 29th of March 2026 The news headlines: RSGB elections: join the conversation What is your question for the RSGB Board? Could you be the next RSGB Legacy Committee Chair? The RSGB 2026 elections are open. If you are an RSGB Affiliated Club, who do your members think are the best Elected Director candidates to represent them on the RSGB Board? Why not watch the candidate videos at your next club meeting, discuss their answers and then vote for your preferred candidates? There are three candidates, but only two Elected Director vacancies, so every vote counts. Make sure you have your say in the RSGB 2026 Elections. Watch the videos at rsgb.org/candidates  then your RSGB members can cast their vote by going to rsgb.org/vote Do you have a question you would like the RSGB Board to answer at the RSGB 2026 AGM? There are three ways you can get involved. You can ask a question live at the AGM via Zoom, submit a written question in advance, or share your question via the live chat during the AGM. Only written or Zoom questions by RSGB members are allowed during the formal part of the AGM. There may not be time to answer all questions, so preference will be given to questions submitted in advance. With three options to choose from, which format suits you best? Find out more, including important deadlines, by going to rsgb,org/agm and selecting ‘Ask the Board a question' from the right-hand menu. The RSGB is looking for a new Chair of the Legacy Committee, following the resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ, from the committee. Chris Wood, GD6TWF, who is the Society's Honorary Treasurer and the Board Liaison for the Legacy Committee, would like to thank Richard for his work over the last few years in encouraging new applications and increasing the number of projects the committee supports. If you have experience in committee work, are interested in and understand amateur radio, and can make objective decisions based on the information presented in applications, this could be the role for you. Read the full description at rsgb.org/volunteers  and then get in touch with Chris via hon.treasurer@rsgb.org.uk If you run a radio club for young people, make sure you take advantage of affiliating it with the RSGB. There are plenty of great reasons, and the best one is that it's free. Benefits include: RadCom in the post, with RadCom Basics and RadCom Plus available via the RSGB app; promotion of the club's activities; special book discounts; use of the RSGB QSL Bureau; and access to RSGB-affiliated club contests. You can read why Heritage School Electronics and Radio Club chose to affiliate with the RSGB by visiting rsgb.org/club-affiliation  and selecting ‘Affiliation for school and university clubs' from the right-hand menu. Tuesday, the 31st of March, is the deadline to submit your British Science Week reports to the RSGB. Whether you operated a special event station, organised a club activity, supported a local youth group or held any other type of event, the Society would love to hear from you. Reports will be included in a special feature in the June and July editions of RadCom. Send your activity summary, with separate high-resolution photographs or videos, to bsw.reports@rsgb.org.uk  If you were one of the lucky groups to have been given FM radio receiver kits and Morse code tutor kits, the deadline for reports is the same. Groups involved in this activity have been sent a separate email detailing the process and what needs to be included. Airfields, aerodromes, radar stations and landing strips are among the sites that will be activated by radio amateurs as part of this year's Airfields on the Air activity. The event will take place mainly over the weekends of the 4th and 5th and 11th and 12th of April. Amateurs can operate using CW, data modes and SSB on the HF, VHF and UHF bands. Certificates will be available for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners who work or hear a minimum of five registered special event stations. To find out more, visit rafars.org The March 2026 edition of RadCom Basics is now available in the RSGB mobile and web app for members to enjoy. RadCom Basics is aimed at newcomers to amateur radio and those who enjoy refreshing their skills and knowledge. This new-look edition includes articles on getting into amateur radio, radio theory and understanding oscilloscope probes and signal-generator leads. The full collection of RadCom Basics back issues can be found in the RSGB app or via rsgb.org/radcom Due to the Easter holidays, the submission deadline for the GB2RS News on Sunday, the 5th of April, is 10 am on Wednesday, the 1st of April. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday, the 5th of April, the Broadcast Engineering Museum is holding an open day. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS and the doors will be open from 11 am. The museum has one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world, including outside broadcast vehicles, TV cameras, videotape and telecine machines, audio equipment, transmitters, TV lighting and public address systems. The open day will include an exhibition of offshore pirate radio memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events On Saturday, the 11th of April, the 40th annual QRP Convention takes place at Digby Hall, Sherborne DT9 3AA. The doors will be open from 9.30 am, and admission will cost £3. The event will include traders, a bring and buy area and club stalls. More information is available at yeovil-arc.com Now the Special Event news Members of the Hellenic Naval Amateur Radio Club are active as SZ465CG until Saturday, the 18th of April. The team is operating using CW, FT4, FT8 and some SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, as well as via the QO-100 satellite. See QRZ.com  for more information. Special callsign 9A10SOTA is in use to celebrate ten years of SOTA in Croatia. Look for activity until the 30th of September 2026. QSL via Logbook of the World. For more information, visit QRZ.com Now the DX news Thaire, W2APF is active as PJ2/W2APF from Curacao, SA-099, until the 31st of March. He is operating using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World or directly to W2APF. Chris, VK2YUS, is active as YJ0CA from Efate, OC-035, the main island of Vanuatu, until Thursday, the 2nd of April. You can find him operating SSB on the 40 to 10m bands between 2100 and 1000UTC. QSL directly to VK2YUS. Now the contest news The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC yesterday, the 28th, and runs until 2359UTC today, Sunday the 29th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Today, the 29th of March, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Band Contest runs from 0800UTC to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 1st of April, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 1st, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Also on Wednesday the 1st, the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. The SP DX CW and SSB Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday, the 4th and ends at 1500UTC on Sunday, the 5th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code. On Sunday the 5th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 26th of March 2026. After last weekend's HF disruption, the latter half of the week was fairly settled. Last weekend, the Kp index rose to 7, sparking visible aurora around the UK. The disruption continued, on and off, until Tuesday, the 24th of March, when the Kp index fell below 3 again. The disruption was caused by a solar wind stream which had a Bz pointing south and reached speeds of more than 600 kilometres per second. The south-pointing Bz meant it more easily coupled with the Earth's magnetic field, hence the disruption. Meanwhile, the solar flux index has picked up, rising from being in the 100s to hit 140 on Thursday, the 26th of March. This, combined with a lower Kp index, has helped the ionosphere, and we saw better maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, over a 3,000km path later in the week. But the threat of more geomagnetic disturbances has not gone away! Two large coronal holes are now Earth-facing and threaten to push the Kp index up once again. NOAA predicts that the Kp index could rise to 4 on Monday, the 30th of March and 5 on Friday, the 3rd and Saturday, the 4th of April. The solar flux index is predicted to fall into the 130s and 120s again during the coming week, although this is still enough to provide good ionospheric propagation. This may be your last chance to work the CY0S Sable Island DXpedition off the coast of Nova Scotia, which ends around Tuesday, the 31st of March. Other DX stations to work this week include S21WD in Bangladesh, OX3LX in Greenland, CE0Y/DJ4EL on Easter Island, YJ1JXZ in Vanuatu, XX9W in Macao, T31TTT on Kanton Island and V4/SP9FIH from St. Kitts. To recap, March and April are good months for North-South HF propagation, although we may see MUFs fall slightly with 10m band openings becoming rarer, at least until the Sporadic-E season starts in May. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The current period of rather more changeable weather will continue to be the main weather pattern during the rest of the month. However, with a large area of high pressure to the west of the UK, there will be times when the weather feels more settled and possibly with a hint of tropo briefly just before midweek. For the rest of the time, active weather fronts will bring occasional bands of rain or showers with the possibility of some rain scatter for GHz operators. Spring is always a good time to keep an eye on the aurora since the geomagnetic disturbances are more likely around the equinox. The Kp index, which describes the state of the Earth's magnetic field, increases at times of potential aurora. So, remember that once the Kp index gets above 5, it's worth monitoring the bands for signs of fluttery or raspy signals. Meteor scatter is still under the influence of random activity. As we head into April, we are getting closer to the next important meteor shower, the Lyrids, toward the end of the month. Sporadic-E is currently in a dormant state, so we are not expecting that to feature much in reports for another month. However, if you feel the need to check, use the comprehensive 10m beacons distributed around Europe to see the state of the upper HF bands for early signs of Sporadic-E propagation. Last week was a busy one for EME with the Dubus 5.7GHz activity and the CY0 and T7 DXpeditions being worked by many. Moon declination starts the weekend high, dropping to negative on Tuesday, while path losses continue to increase towards apogee on Tuesday, the 7th of April. 144MHz sky noise is low all week.   And that's all from the propagation team this week.

TX5EU - update March 14 - We finally made it to our new TX5EU QTH on Austral Island Raivavae and started setting up antennas and equipment. So far, 5 of 9 antennas are already set up: VDAs 20m, 15m, 12m, the DX Commander, and the 40m vertical. The rest will follow tomorrow morning after sunrise (and a quick coffee...). Operation will start around 6 a.m. GMT (at our far end of the world, it is still the evening of March 13...). Watch out for our first signals! 73 from TX5EU   T31 - Central Kiribati - The Rebel DX Group say their upcoming T31TTT activity (Starting around March 25) on Kanton Island will likely be their last operation for "some considerable time," similar to their 3D2/C Conway Reef ops.  They say they are joining government officials and a ministry of fishery and environmental delegation, and note the rules there are changing soon, including likely a lockdown of access for visitors for environmental protection reasons.  We have a second update - The Rebel DX Group's upcoming T31TTT operation, scheduled to start around March 25, the update:  Preparations are complete with their ship loaded with supplies, fuel, and generators.  They are now leaving Fiji for Samoa, to be joined by seven Kiribati government officials who will part of the trip to Kanton Atoll.   HR – Honduras - KN2P, N7VZ and W7UM have gotten their callsign for their Honduras DXpedition,  from the new government and new commissioner for telecoms there.  The callsign is HQ9UM and the dates are March 24-31.  They will be on 160-10 SSB, CW and FT8 and use LoTW for QSLing.  And they have the HQ9X callsign for the CQ WPX SSB weekend.  Otherwise, they will be holiday style.  3B8 - Mauritius - G3TXF, Nigel, will participate in the RSGB Commonwealth Contest as 3B8XF on March 14-15 and continue CW activity on HF until March 25. G3WVG, Ian, now 3B8VV, will also be active on HF for a week until March 19. Both are operating from a small islet previously used by the successful 3B8M contest team.  9J – Zambia - DM7XX, Robert, will be operating as 9J2RO from the Fountain Gate Crafts & Trades School from March 16 to 30, participating in the CQ WPX SSB Contest  (March 28-29)    YJ – Vanuatu - VK2YUS, Chris Ayres, plans an operation, YJ0CA.  He will be at Port Vila March 18 to April 2, SSB only, the same gear as previously, an IC-7300 to small amplifier, and simple wire antennas, 40-10.  He says his main operating times will likely be between 2100-1000Z.  Chris logs on to paper and then has "a high quality physical card for confirmation."  Cards will be sent out air mail in  April from Australia.  Check QRZ.com for the details on QSL address, etc.  YJ - Vanuatu  JK1JXZ, Aki, will operate as YJ1JXZ from Port Vila, Vanuatu, between March 15  and April 3, active on 80-6 meter bands after 5 PM (local time) on weekdays  and all day on weekends.    FJ - St. Barthelemy –Andreas, DK6AS, is now active from St. Barts as FJ/DK6AS for the month of March. He is QRV on CW, FT4 and FT8 on 3.5 through 50 MHz, including participation in the ARRL International DX CW Contest. QSL via DK6AS either direct or via the bureau.  VP2E – Anguilla – Jack, M0PLX, SP9FIH and SQ2RAD, will be QRV from Anguilla until March 22nd. They will use the callsigns VP2ELX, VP2EWE, and VP2EAD, respectively. Their activities will cover the 160-6 meter bands, with each operator focusing on specific frequencies; Jack will concentrate on 15m, 40m, and 80m SSB. Operations will take place on SSB and CW, utilizing multiple transceivers, amplifiers, and both vertical and directional antennas. During the three-week stay, Jack also plans short sightseeing and possible radio activities from St. Maarten (FS), Saba (PJ6), and St. Barthelemy (FJ).  V5 - Namibia – Gunter, DK2WH, is currently operating as V51WH from a farm near Omaruru, Namibia, and will remain active until March 24, covering frequencies from 160 to 6 meters, including 60 meters. 

GB2RS News Sunday, the 22nd of March 2026 The news headlines: Put the RSGB 2026 AGM in your diary Make your vote count in the RSGB elections The RSGB is an official partner for WRTC2026 The RSGB 2026 AGM will take place at 10 am on Saturday, the 18th of April and will be held online to ensure as many members as possible can watch and take part. On the Society's website, you can now see details about the Calling Notice, Resolutions, the elected Board Director candidates, the Nominated Director candidates, and information about how to vote. The Society has also announced the results of the Regional Representative elections, where two candidates have been elected unopposed. There are three ways you can ask the RSGB Board a question at the AGM. Visit rsgb.org/agm  to find out more. In this year's RSGB elections, there are two vacancies for Elected Board Directors, and three nominations have been received. The candidates are Ben Lloyd, GW4BML, Tony Miles, MM0TMZ and John E. A. Moss, G0KTW. RSGB members are asked to vote for the two candidates they prefer to serve the Society as Board Directors for the next three years. As well as submitting their CV and personal statement in writing, the candidates have each taken part in a video interview so that RSGB members can find out more about them. The Society has separated the questions into an extended video and a short. Watch these videos by going to rsgb.org/candidates. Voting for candidates is now open and will close at 9 am on the 16th of April 2026. By voting in the RSGB elections, you are helping to shape the future of the Society and how it operates. Have your say and vote today. Go to rsgb.org/vote The RSGB is delighted to announce that it is an official partner for this year's World Radiosport Team Championship, also known as WRTC. RSGB representatives will attend the event, which is being held from the 8th to the 13th of July 2026 at Wyboston Lakes in Bedfordshire. They'll meet radio amateurs and spectators from around the world, and the Society has supported the event further by sponsoring one of the 50 competitor tents. RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB, has served on the WRTC UK Organising Committee for the past three years. RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, will attend WRTC for its duration and conduct various duties throughout the week. If you'd like to volunteer and be part of this fantastic event, there are a range of roles available, including Contest Station Managers, Contest Station Builders and Transport roles. Visit wrtc2026.org/volunteers  to find out more. Did you know that RSGB membership is open to anyone with an interest in amateur radio, wherever they are in the world? The Society's publications are well respected around the globe, and the RSGB is proud to have members in over 50 countries. You can find out about joining the RSGB's community and meet some of its international members via rsgb.org/international-members The RSGB Awards Manager, Lindsay Pennell, GI3KME, has awarded Geoff, G4FKA, the first Supreme level of the Worked All UK and Crown Dependency Prefixes Award. The award was introduced in 2025 and is available to all radio amateurs and shortwave listeners in the UK and worldwide. Read more about Geoff's achievement by going to rsgb.org/award-stories A brand new GB2RS broadcast is now available in Wales. Elliot, MW9IQN, is located at the foot of the Cambrian Mountains. He transmits the RSGB News on 145.525MHz FM each Sunday at 5 pm with good coverage to the west coast. At present, Elliot is using quite low power and is broadcasting in English. However, a power increase is planned and, if requested, he would be pleased to additionally broadcast the script in Welsh. If you are in mid-Wales, do take a listen for this new GB2RS broadcast and give Elliot a call during his post-News net. Several other broadcasts can be received in Wales, notably Brian, GW6VEI, who covers Wales from St Asaph on 3650kHz LSB at 10.30 am. The full Broadcast Schedule can be downloaded at rsgb.org/GB2RSschedule Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 22nd, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally is being held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors are open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. The rally features a comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the southwest. There is also a bring-and-buy area, a catering service, disabled access, toilet facilities and ample parking. For more information, visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally is also taking place today, the 22nd, at Eastry Village Hall, High Street, Eastry, Kent, CT13 0QB. The doors are open from 10 am to 2 pm, and the entrance fee is £3. Refreshments are available on site. For more details, contact the Club via darc.online Now the Special Event news Special callsign GB2TSO will be active from mid-morning on Wednesday, the 25th of March 2026. Marc, 2E0MCJ and Stephen, M0CCA, are taking part in The Great Tommy Sleep Out from Noon, Cregg Veterans Retreat near Camelford in Cornwall. Listen for activity on the 40m band using SSB. Special callsign SZ40A is in use by the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A, to celebrate 40 years of continuous presence, service and contribution to amateur radio. Look for activity across multiple HF bands and modes until the 31st of May. QSL via ON3UN. To see if you qualify for an award for working the station, visit awards.sz1a.org Now the DX news Gunter, DK2WH, is active as V51WH and V55Y from Namibia until Tuesday, the 24th of March 2026. He is operating using FT8, RTTY, SSB and some CW on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Gunter's home call, directly or via the Bureau. Haluk, TA2LE is active as J79H from Dominica, NA-101, until Thursday, the 26th of March.  Look for activity using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS, Logbook of the World and Club Log. For more information and updates, visit tinyurl.com/J79H-2026 Now the contest news The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC yesterday, the 21st, and runs until 0200UTC tomorrow, the 23rd of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. On Tuesday, the 24th of March, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 25th of March, the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday, the 26th of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 28th and runs until 2359UTC on Sunday, the 29th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday, the 29th of March, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Band Contest runs from 0800UTC to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 19th of March Last weekend's Commonwealth Contest got off to a bad start, thanks to a Kp index of 6 that really affected the ionosphere. As a result, HF conditions were not good with the maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path below 21MHz until 1700UTC. Luckily, things improved a little on Sunday, but overall scores were down compared with previous events. The Kp index increase was due to a coronal hole stream, which reached 600 to 700 kilometres per second and a Bz that pointed south. The equinox period hasn't helped due to the Russell-McPherron effect, a phenomenon that occurs when the Earth's magnetic field aligns with the Sun's magnetic field during equinoxes, creating ‘cracks' in the magnetosphere. Otherwise, the week has been unremarkable. The solar flux index has remained firmly in the 110s, and there have been no X-class solar flares, only a few M and lesser C-class events. Next week, HF propagation may be dominated again by the solar wind. Coronal hole number 33 will begin to face Earth, and a high-speed stream was predicted to reach us this weekend, ending today, the 22nd. A coronal mass ejection was also predicted to arrive around Thursday, the 19th. NOAA predicts the Kp index will rise to 5 this weekend and not decline to 3 until the 26th of March. Meanwhile, the solar flux is predicted to remain in the 105 to 120 range until the 27th of March. It may then increase slightly to be in the 120s until the end of the month. As a result, expect lower maximum usable frequencies and poorer HF conditions until around next Thursday, the 26th and Friday, the 27th of March. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The high pressure that developed during the second half of last week formed on the warmer side of the front and, as a result, produced slightly better tropo conditions than looked possible the previous week. The weather is probably going to try to change to a cold-air high in the coming week, so expect conditions to decline. However, that's not the only reason for a decline. As the main high centre displaces west of Britain, we will find a colder and unsettled west or north-westerly pattern affecting the UK next week. So less tropo, but more chance of some rain scatter for the upper GHz bands. Meteor scatter remains in the random activity domain, although we are edging closer to the next major shower of the late April Lyrids. It's not to say that exciting things can't happen, however. Just after a HamSCI workshop on the subject of meteor scatter last weekend, a multi-ton meteoroid was reported from Cleveland, Ohio, on the HamSCI Google groups at around 1300UTC on the 17th of March. This produced a sonic boom and was visible in broad daylight. All is quiet on the Sporadic-E front, although we are slowly moving towards a period when the first glimmers of activity show themselves, particularly on digital modes.  Lastly, a comment on the chances of an aurora. These are usually enhanced due to solar-terrestrial alignment around the equinoxes, and with two coronal mass ejections predicted to arrive at the tail end of last week, ending today, the 22nd. As usual, check for an increasing Kp index above 5. For EME, yesterday saw the 5.7GHz section of the Dubus CW and SSB EME contest and associated all-mode activity weekend. With Moon declination positive and rising, and path losses still low, it hopefully produced some nice contacts. On VHF, 144MHz sky noise is low in the coming week. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

En este episodio del podcast hablamos de radioafición, onda corta y estaciones misteriosas. Escuchamos un fragmento real de una estación de números en farsi conocida como V32, detectada a finales de febrero de 2026. Esta transmisión, probablemente dirigida hacia Irán, emite grupos de números cifrados y ha sido objeto de interferencias (jamming) por parte de transmisores iraníes. Analizamos sus frecuencias, horarios y posible origen en Europa, y qué podría significar dentro del contexto geopolítico actual. También escuchamos una grabación reciente de Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIB) captada en 15.135 kHz en la banda de 19 metros, una de las pocas emisiones que todavía mantiene Irán en onda corta, después de que muchas de sus transmisiones internacionales se hayan trasladado a onda media, satélite e internet. Además, charlamos con EA1FTW, que acaba de alcanzar los 1000 puntos como activador en SOTA (Summits on the Air), lo que le convierte oficialmente en “Mountain Goat” o cabra montesa, uno de los hitos más conocidos dentro del programa SOTA. Y obviamente, cuento mis primeras experiencias con una antena end-fed instalada en la fachada, con la que ya han salido contactos interesantes: Bouvet en FT8 Anguilla en fonía Todo esto demuestra que, incluso con una simple antena de hilo, la radioafición y la onda corta siguen conectando el mundo. ________________________________________ Temas del episodio • Estación de números V32 en farsi • Espionaje y mensajes cifrados en onda corta • Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIB) en 15.135 kHz • Propagación en la banda de 19 metros • SOTA – Summits on the Air y el logro Mountain Goat • Antenas end-fed y DX desde casa • Contactos de radioafición en FT8 y fonía ________________________________________ ¿Nos apoyas para que podamos seguir haciendo este podcast? Puedes apoyarnos en QRP con 1,99€ al mes o un poco más de potencia en QRO, con 5,99€ al mes aquí: https://cqenfrecuencia.com/apoyar/ Si te interesa la radio En este canal hablamos de: • radioafición • onda corta y DX • propagación ionosférica • estaciones internacionales • SOTA / POTA • antenas y experimentos de radio Envía tus preguntas, propuestas de temas o lo que quieras: https://cqenfrecuencia.com/contacto/ O en nuestro canal de Telegram: https://t.me/cqenfrecuencia Y no olvidéis visitar nuestra web: https://cqenfrecuencia.com

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comLet's start with on update on the 3YØK DXpedition from Bouvet Island: Bouvetøya, March 10th 2026 While the previous days weather has been good, thecurrent weather at Bouvetøya has strong winds at 25 m/s and rain and we have difficulties to walk and stand up while outdoor. The 160m antenna broke today and the 20M Yagi is also damaged and not in use. We have spare parts ready forthe antennas, but currently it is deemed unsafe to raise the Yagi in this strong wind. We will get it up as soon as the weather allows it.We currently have 6-7 stations up and running and willkeep this until the weekend. It is likely we will see a partial tear down if there is a weather window this weekend or early next week. We still plan to stay as long as possible next week, but the weather window will dictate when wemust return to vessel. We have currently logged more than 70.000 contacts, and we thank everyone for being in the pileup! - 73, 3YØK. J5 - Guinea-Bissau –As of Monday, they had made 164,500 QSOs with 31,600 different callsigns in 10.9 days of operation. (As of this writing, at 1930 UTC, the number of QSOs logged had increased to 168,085.) There are still nine days to go. They experienced a 30-minute generator outage yesterday, but“apart from that, operation is going on smoothly.” They also reported that they would be on 80M SSB, but not 160M or 60M SSB.   YJ – Vanuatu - VK2YUS, Chris Ayres, plans an operation, YJ0CA.  He will be at Port Vila March 18 to April 2, SSB only, the same gear as previously, an IC-7300 to small amplifier,and simple wire antennas, 40-10.  He says his main operating times will likely be between 2100-1000Z.  Chris logs on paper and then has "a high quality physical card for confirmation."  Cards will be sent out air mail in  April from Australia.  Check QRZ.com for the details on QSL address, etc. FJ - St. Barthelemy –Andreas, DK6AS,is now active from St. Barts as FJ/DK6AS for the month of March. He is QRV on CW, FT4 and FT8 on 3.5 through 50 MHz. VP2E – Anguilla – Jack, M0PLX, SP9FIH and SQ2RAD, will be QRV from Anguilla until March 22nd. They will use the callsigns VP2ELX, VP2EWE, and VP2EAD, respectively. Theiractivities will cover the 160-6 meter bands. ZC4 - UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus The planned (ZC4C and ZC4Z) trip to Cyprus was canceled by the travel company just 12 hours before departure, leaving the group deeply disappointed. Attempts to rebook flights were unsuccessful due to limited availability and  ongoing travel restrictions. The team, who had remained determined to travel  despite recent safety concerns, is now seeking an extension to theirlicense to reschedule for a later date. After a year of preparation, the sudden cancellation is a significant letdown. VP0/O - South Orkney Islands - Sergeant RamonAlberto Matinez, will operate as LU1DMZ/Z from the LU1ZA station at Orcadas Antarctic Base on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, throughout 2026. The South Orcadas Base, established in 1904, is the oldest Antarctic base. In 1927, the first all-Argentine crew led by JosÇ Moneta arrived,and the first official radiotelegraph station in Antarctica was opened.Since 1951, the Orcadas Observatory has been under the Argentine Navy as the South Orcadas Naval Detachment. QRX for more details.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 15th of March 2026 The news headlines: New Microwave capabilities for the RSGB National Radio Centre Submit your British Science Week reports Exam availability over Easter ICOM UK has announced that it has equipped the RSGB National Radio Centre with the IC-905 All-Mode Transceiver as part of its ongoing support for the RSGB and the amateur radio community. This latest addition ensures that volunteers and visitors to the NRC have access to the latest VHF, UHF and SHF technology. The IC-905 is an industry first providing seamless multimode coverage across the 144, 430, 1200, 2400, 5600MHz and 10GHz bands. The arrival of the IC-905 opens up new avenues for the NRC, from linking local repeaters to monitoring radio beacons for the study of microwave propagation. The IC-905 was officially handed over to RSGB General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB, at the Martin Lynch and Sons Open Day earlier this year and has now found its home on the radio bench at the NRC. Read more about the transceiver and the NRC by going to rsgb.org/nrc  and scrolling to the news section at the bottom of the page. British Science Week 2026 draws to a close today, the 15th of March, and the RSGB is delighted to have seen so many clubs, societies, schools, youth groups and individuals taking part. This year's British Science Week campaign has been the biggest for amateur radio yet. The Society would like to thank everyone who got involved and for sharing your love and passion for the hobby with others. Highlights from the event will be featured in the June and July editions of RadCom. Whether your club held an open day, arranged a sked, operated a special event station, supported a school, or held any other type of event, the RSGB would love to hear from you. To be included, send your report, with separate high-resolution photographs or videos, to bsw.reports@rsgb.org.uk  by the 31st of March. If you were one of the lucky groups to have been given free FM radio receiver kits and Morse code tutor kits to build, you would have been emailed separate instructions on how to submit reports for this activity. The RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the Easter weekend. You will not be able to book an exam from Friday, the 3rd to Monday, the 6th of April 2026. Exam bookings will resume as normal from Tuesday, the 7th of April 2026. Book your exam by going to rsgb.org/exams If you have not secured your spot on the RSGB members-only Direct Digital Synthesiser programming workshop, taking place in Blackpool on Saturday, the 11th of April, now is the time. Booking closes on Wednesday, the 18th of March. Visit rsgb.org/practical-events  Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 15th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally is taking place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. The doors are open to the public from 10 am, and admission costs £5. Refreshments and free parking are available on site. For more information, email radars.rally@gmail.com On Sunday, the 22nd of March, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors will be open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the Southwest will be present. There will also be a bring-and-buy area, catering service, disabled access, toilet facilities and ample parking. Pre-booking is essential so please contact Alastair, M0KRR, on 01503 262 755 as soon as possible. For more information, visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk Also on Sunday, the 22nd of March, the Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally is taking place at Eastry Village Hall, High Street, Eastry, Kent, CT13 0QB. The doors will be open from 10 am to 2 pm, and the entrance fee is £3. Refreshments will be available on site. Tables are £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. To book your table, contact the Club via darc.online Now the Special Event news The Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A, is active with special callsign SZ40A to celebrate 40 years of continuous presence, service, and contribution to amateur radio. Look for activity across multiple HF bands and modes until the 31st of May. QSL via ON3UN. Visit awards.sz1a.org  to access awards that are available for working the station. Special callsign GB0OH will be active from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides for around six days from the 11th of April. This is an opportunity for award chasers to log IOTA reference EU-010 and Worked All Britain square NB53. The station will be operating on several bands from 40 to 10m, mainly using SSB, but there may also be some FT8 activity. QSL via QRZ.com Now the DX news The 3Y0K team is operating from Bouvet Island on multiple bands. Depending on conditions, the station expects to be available until around the 18th to the 20th of March. QSL via OQRS and Club Log. For more information, visit 3y0k.com Yannick, F6FYD, is active as CN2YD from Marrakech in Morocco until the 31st of March. He is operating using SSB on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL to F6FYD directly or via the Bureau. Now the contest news Today, the 15th of March, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Tomorrow, the 16th of March, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2200UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday, the 17th of March, the RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 18th of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code. On Thursday, the 19th of March, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at 0200UTC on Saturday, the 21st, and runs until 0200UTC on Monday, the 23rd of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 12th of March 2026. There has been plenty to work on the HF bands this past week. 3Y0K on Bouvet Island is still attracting a lot of radio amateurs, but there is also 8Q7ZW on the Maldives and German group J51A on Guinea-Bissau to get your attention. DXpeditions to look out for next week include TX5EU from the Austral Islands, YJ1JXZ in Vanuatu, the tail-end of operations at T80K in Palau and VP2EAD, VP2ELX and VP2EWE on Anguilla. HF propagation has been reasonable, rather than outstanding, with a solar flux index in the 140s, declining to the 120s as the week progressed. There have been a few C-class solar flares, but nothing stronger. Geomagnetic conditions have also been reasonable with the Kp index mostly in the twos and threes. There was one excursion where the planetary Kp index hit 4 around the 7th and 8th of March, but otherwise it has been relatively calm. The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path has exceeded 28MHz on most days. 14MHz was open to the Maldives via FT8 as late as 2200UTC on Tuesday, the 10th of March. Next week, the standout item is a large, but relatively thin, coronal hole on the Sun, and the high-speed solar wind stream from this reached the Earth on Friday, the 13th of March. Expect the Kp index to rise and HF propagation, especially on northerly paths, to suffer. The Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the solar flux index will decline further to around 110 in the coming week. After this weekend's geomagnetic disturbance due to the coronal hole, the Kp index is forecast to be more settled with a predicted maximum Kp of 3. Things may heat up later in the week with a predicted Kp of 4, rising to 6 on the 21st of March. Expect reduced maximum usable frequencies and poorer HF propagation, particularly on polar paths. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The current spell of changeable weather is likely to stay with us through the bulk of the coming week, but there is a glimmer of hope for better conditions after mid-week, with a suggestion of high pressure over northern Britain. To begin with, this means that rain scatter, including snow in places, will be worth checking out on the GHz bands, but strong winds may test antennas at times. The transition to high pressure should lift conditions a little, but since it's forming in a cold polar air mass, it may not be as good as it could be.  The 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest on Tuesday, the 17th of March, will probably still be in the wet and windy period, so there may be a rain scatter bonus if the rain is heavy enough to affect such a low GHz band. Aircraft scatter will always be the best option for this band when tropo is poor. The 70MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday, the 19th of March, may fare better for tropo in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Meteor scatter will offer up meagre rations as we remain between major showers. The April Lyrids are still a long way away. Aurora is still in the frame around the spring equinox, so as usual, check for the Kp index moving up to 5 or higher. Sporadic-E is not usually part of the story at this time of the year in these latitudes. If anything does get triggered, then look to explore the path on digital modes first to see which directions are being favoured.  For EME, the conditions are poor for the coming week with Moon declination negative but rising, not going positive until next Thursday. We continue with short Moon windows and low peak elevation, but with falling path losses. While 144MHz sky noise is moderate to low in the coming week, Wednesday and Thursday see the Sun and Moon close in the sky, meaning high noise on the lower bands due to wider antenna beamwidths. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.5N – Nigeria – Bodo, DF8DX, will be in Abuja, Nigeria, working at the Voice of Nigeria broadcasting station from March 1-10,. Operating under his new callsign 5N7QBR he plans to be active on the air as time allows and will participate in the ARRL DX SSB Contest. J5 - Guinea-Bissau – 124,600 QSOs and 23,800 different callsigns after 7.24 days of operation. Still 13 days to go.YJ – Vanuatu - JK1JXZ (also known as A35JK, T2JK), Aki, is QRV from Port Vila, Vanuatu as YJ1JXZ until April 3, 2026. He  will operate on the 80-6m bands, with activity after 5 p.m. Vanuatu time on weekdays and all day during weekends. The web page https://www.qrz.com/db/YJ1JXZ will beupdated  once the specific dates are confirmed. FJ - St. Barthelemy –Andreas, DK6AS, is now active from St. Barts as FJ/DK6AS for the month of March. He is QRVon CW, FT4 and FT8 on 3.5 through 50 MHz, including participation in the ARRL International DX CW Contest. QSL via DK6AS either direct or via the bureau.3B8 - Mauritius & 3B9 - Rodrigues - So far reported as 3B8G on 20, 15 and 10 CW, and the operator is VU3OPT, akaOM0GA, Suvarna.  This is a 48-day trip will end on March 30. The Rodrigues portion, callsign 3B9N, will run from April 3 to May 20.  It appears he also plans visits to Sri Lanka (4S) and Bangladesh (S2) in the second half of 2026. JD1/M - Minami Torishima – Take, JG8NQJ, will be working again on Minami Torishima as JG8NQJ/JD1 now to mid-May, operating with 50 watts and a  HB9CV style 17/15M 2-element antenna. QSL via JA8CJY.  VP2E – Anguilla – Jack, M0PLX, SP9FIH and SQ2RAD, will be QRV from Anguilla until March 22nd. They will use the callsigns VP2ELX, VP2EWE, and VP2EAD, respectively. Theiractivities will cover the 160-6 meter bands, with each operator focusing on specific frequencies; Jack will concentrate on 15m, 40m, and 80m SSB.Operations will take place on SSB and CW, utilizing multiple transceivers, amplifiers, and both vertical and directional antennas. During the three-week stay, Jack also plans short sightseeing and possible radio activities from St. Maarten (FS), Saba (PJ6), and St. Barthelemy (FJ).ZC4 - UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus - The ZC4C and ZC4Z team are scheduled to depart Edinburgh, Scotland Wednesday morning heading for Cyprus and will probably begin operations early Thursday.  VE – Canada - It's VO2LAB/VY0 from Iqaluit, Baffin Island, Nunavut  Territory, where Jim, WB2REM, is operating remotely from the VY0IRC station.  QSL via Club Log, QRZ, LOTW but no paper confirmations. V5 - Namibia – Gunter, DK2WH, is currently operating as V51WH from a farm near Omaruru, Namibia, and will remain active until March 24, covering frequencies from 160 to 6 meters, including 60 meters. FO/A - Austral Islands - "The excitement is mounting, just over a week to go until departure!" – from the TX5EU group.  A lot of the prep work is done, extensive radios, antennas, spare parts, etc., "everything has been planned in detail, tested, and packed."  The German and Dutch ops have been meeting regularly, mostly on video conferences.  On March 11, the six ops from Germany and The Netherlands will meet at the airport in Paris and fly to San Francisco and onward to the Austral Islands.  They expect to be on the air March 13, with operations  continuing to March 25.  

GB2RS News Sunday, the 8th of March 2026   The news headlines: RSGB members – secure your place on the Direct Digital Synthesiser programming workshop The latest edition of RadCom Plus has been published Listen out for groups that are active for British Science Week There's still time for RSGB members to book their place on the Direct Digital Synthesizer programming workshop, taking place in Blackpool on Saturday the 11th of April. If you would like a flavour of the workshop, watch our short video recorded at last year's RSGB Convention. You can hear from participants who enjoyed exploring new opportunities with Arduino and appreciated having a full six hours to see the project through from start to finish. Find the video on our YouTube channel and Facebook profile, and book the workshop via rsgb.org/practical-events The Winter 2025 / Spring 2026 edition of the RSGB's digital technical supplement, RadCom Plus, is now available via the RSGB app for mobile and web. RSGB members can enjoy four technical articles, including part five in the ‘Operating on the 30THz band' series and ‘Understanding Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing'. You'll also find articles on ‘Taming the end-fed half-wave antenna' and on the construction and use of a 4m solid state linear amplifier. Don't forget you can save articles in the app by bookmarking them. Within the mobile app, you can also download the edition to read whilst you're on the go. Members can also browse all the back issues of RadCom Plus, dating back to 2015, within the app. If you're not a member yet, you can read a sample edition of RadCom Plus. Go to rsgb.org/radcom  to get started. British Science Week 2026 began last Friday, and a wide variety of amateur radio activity is taking place throughout the ten days. From kit building to Morse-a-thons, from skeds to radio direction finding, this is a fantastic showcase of amateur radio to wider audiences. There is still time to get involved in this national event that celebrates science, technology, engineering and maths by listening out for operators on the amateur bands. A number of groups will be active throughout the week, including the Royal Signals Museum Outreach team, who will be active on Wednesday, the 11th of March, as GB100RSM. The team will be running a day full of activities for 60 pupils from Milldown Academy in Blandford Forum, so listen out for them and exchange greetings. You can find details of other groups that will be on the air by going to rsgb.org/bsw  and selecting ‘Events happening near you' from the right-hand menu. The Full and Direct-to-Full Exam Handouts, references EX309 and EX320, have been updated with immediate effect, so their 5MHz band plans now align with the main RSGB band plan, which was updated in January 2026. The new editions can be found at rsgb.org/exam-forms. The changes highlight that caution must be exercised to avoid out-of-band operation, as well as the fact that the band is for Full Licensees only. This follows Ofcom monitoring and warnings to errant operators. To encourage activity on the 2m band, the 145 Alive team has introduced 145 Alive 50. The trial period for this initiative runs until the 18th of April. The rules are simple. Call CQ on the calling channel and have at least one QSO per day on the 2m band. Record your contacts and send your log for 50 or more days, in ADIF format, to 145aliveuk@gmail.com. Electronic certificates will be supplied by the 145 Alive team to successful applicants. 145 Alive needs net controllers for its next event on Saturday, the 18th of April. Stations will be on the air from 12 am to 3 pm. The event predominantly features FM, but some SSB stations will also be operating. If you or your group would like to run a net, email 145aliveuk@gmail.com. Remember to include your name, callsign, location and Maidenhead locator. Today, the 8th, the Vintage and Military Amateur Radio Society is attending the Audiojumble event at K2 Crawley, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley, RH11 9BQ. The Society's display and information stand will be of interest to those who enjoy historic equipment, including vacuum tubes. Everyone is welcome to drop by and will be made very welcome. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 8th, the Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hangar Sale is taking place at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale includes electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information, visit hackgreen.co.uk On Sunday, the 15th of March, Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. The doors open for traders at 7.30 am and for the public at 10 am. Admission costs £5. Free parking and refreshments will be available. Tables are available at a cost of £10 each. Early booking is advised. For more information, email radars.rally@gmail.com Now the Special Event news To celebrate the centenary of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters, which was formed on the 16th of August 1926, special callsign ZL100C will be active until August. QSL via the Bureau and Logbook of the World. Special callsign DB100FT is active throughout 2026 to celebrate the centenary of the Berlin Radio Tower. The 150m-high steel structure is one of the city's most iconic landmarks and has a prominent place in German radio broadcasting. Recently, the station was spotted on the HF bands using FT4 and FT8. QSL via the Bureau, or directly to DO2PZ. Now the DX news Jozef, ON6HX, is active again as YB9/ON6HX from Mataram on Lombok Island, OC-150, until Wednesday the 11th of March. The station is operating using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via Jozef's home call. Gerard, F2JD is active as HR5/F2JD from Copan, Honduras until Thursday, the 12th of March. He is operating using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the HF bands. QSL to F6AJA directly or via the Bureau. Now the contest news The RSGB March 144 and 432MHz Contest started at 1400UTC yesterday, the 7th, and runs until 1400UTC today, Sunday the 8th of March. Using all modes on the 2m and 70cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The ARRL International DX Contest started at 0000UTC yesterday, the 7th, and runs until 2359UTC today, Sunday, the 8th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is RST and transmit power. American stations also send their state, and Canadian stations send their province. On Tuesday, the 10th of March, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 10th, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 11th of March, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 11th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday, the 11th of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday, the 12th of March, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Commonwealth Contest starts at 1000UTC on Saturday, the 14th of March and ends at 1000UTC on Sunday, the 15th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday, the 15th of March, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 5th of March 2026. What a difference a week makes! In our last report, we mentioned that there were zero sunspots and a solar flux index of 130. This week has seen a turnaround with five active sunspot regions and a solar flux index of 144. HF propagation has been reasonable with openings up to 10m to various parts of the world. We have only seen M-class solar flares, although there have been around 40 of them in the past five days. We had a brief excursion in the Kp index when it went to 5 during one three-hour period, late on the 3rd of March. However, it soon recovered and has been at 2 or lower for the past two days at the time of writing. The effects of a small Earth-facing coronal hole started coming past the Earth on Friday, the 6th of March and is expected to be the source of a solar wind stream. According to NOAA and the Space Weather Prediction Centre, Active to Minor G1 geomagnetic storming will be possible today, the 8th of March. We have now seen the start of the 3Y0K Bouvet Island DXpedition, which is due to run until around the 17th of March. It has already been worked from the UK on bands from 40 to 12m. Bouvet is virtually due south from the UK, and the higher bands should be open from around 0700 to around 1900UTC. The 40 and 30m bands should open from around 2000 to 0400UTC. So, there are plenty of opportunities to work the station. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre in the US forecasts that the solar flux index may be around 156 today, the 8th, but will then decline to be in the 120s or even 110s later in the week. We may have slightly unsettled geomagnetic conditions around the 10th to the 12th of March and again on the 14th and 15th of March, with an estimated Kp index of 4. In summary, HF conditions are not bad. Keep an eye on solarham.com  for daily updates. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The recent change of weather to introduce high pressure onto the scene provided some welcome enhanced tropo conditions in the last week. The March RSGB 144 and 432MHz Championship should still be able to benefit, except perhaps for the northwestern fringe of the UK, where the next Atlantic fronts will be making an intervention. It looks a little more problematic for the 432MHz UK Activity Contest on Tuesday, the 10th of March. The same is true for the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday, the 12th of March, as the low-pressure pattern returns and offers a chance of rain scatter for the microwave bands. The meteor scatter prospects are still driven by random activity, so as usual, a preference for the early hours of the morning is called for on this mode. It has been mentioned before that the Spring and Autumn are periods when auroras are more likely. This is known as the Russell-McPherron effect when the Earth's magnetic field is better coupled to the solar wind. So, keep monitoring the Kp index for signs of it going above 5. Then check the bands for fluttery signals, even on the LF bands. CW can be used as an early ‘heads up' for potential activity on the VHF bands. Lastly, thoughts about Sporadic-E should be kept in check for a while yet, since we are still very far away from the usual start of the season. For EME, Moon declination is negative and falling to a minimum next Thursday, meaning shortening Moon windows and lower peak elevation until then. Path losses are falling until apogee on Tuesday, the 10th of March. 144MHz Sky noise is moderate, rising to a high of more than 3000 Kelvin on Thursday and falling back by next weekend. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comTo say that the world has been waiting on this would be an understatement. We have an update on the Bouvet DXpedition, 3Y0K - They have left Cape Town!The 3YØK team has departed Cape Town aboard the Danish registered vessel Argus from Icetugs, beginning the 1,500‑nautical‑mile transit to Bouvetøya. Argus completed scheduled maintenance and survey work prior to her arrival in Cape Town, ensuring full readiness for the voyage. Earlier this week, the expedition helicopter was loaded, inspected, and secured on deck. Both the vessel and the aircraft have successfully passed all required inspections. We appreciate the strong commitment demonstrated by the pilots, mechanics, expedition guides, and vessel crew as we move forward together as one team to make this a successful expedition. The captain and crew are performing excellently, and the team is enjoying good meals prepared by the ship's chef. Despite encountering rough seas during the first day at sea, preparations continue onboard as we expect to arrive atBouvetøya on February 26th at 08:00 local time. We extend our sincere thanks to all contributors for your continued support! 73, 3YØK Team  5N – Nigeria – Bodo, DF8DX, will be in Abuja, Nigeria, working at the Voice of Nigeria broadcasting station from March 1-10,. Operating under his new callsign 5N7QBR he plans to be active on the air as time allows and will participate in the ARRL DX SSB Contest. Using 100 watts and possibly Voice of Nigeria's large curtain antenna (about 19dB gain), he will operate CW, SSB, and FT8 on 10-80m bands. QSLs are accepted via LoTW, direct, bureau, or OQRS after the activity. For more information, see his QRZ.com profiles for 5N0OCH and 5N7Q.9G – Ghana – Arno, DL1CW, is QRV until March 3rd. He ismostly on CW with some RTTY possible through March 3. He is running 100 atts to a dipole and plans to be active on 3.5 through 50 MHz. QSL via LoTW and via the bureau to DL1CW. J5 - Guinea-Bissau – We have over 25.000 QSOs in the log after the first 24 hours of operation. We already logged more than 5.000 QSOs in CW. Only some 100+ SSB QSOs yet. Manymore CW and SSB to come in the coming days, don't worry... We have an Update on KP5/NP3VI, Desecheo Island- Asreported last week, KP5/NP3VI, the Desecheo Island DXpedition, has been extended to March 3. As of February 25th, they had exceeded 97,000 QSO milestone, “all generated using our fully solar-powered, unattended RemoteDeployment Unit.”  FJ - St. Barthelemy – On February 12, Andreas, DK6AS, began his February/March 2026 FJ/DK6AS operation from St. Barts. He'll be QRV on CW, FT4 and CT8 on 3.5 through 50 MHz,including participation in the ARRL International DX CW Contest. QSL via DK6AS either direct or via the bureau. This week, the DX Mentor YouTube episode will feature Hal, W8HC. Hal will be discussing the 9U1RU DXpedition that logged almost 180,000 QSOs. Give it a watch and let me know what you think.Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week!

GB2RS News Sunday the 1st of March 2026 The news headlines: British Science Week starts on Friday – what are your plans? Listen out for the RSGB President operating as GB5CC Make the most of the RSGB National Radio Centre's extended summer opening hours British Science Week starts this Friday, the 6th of March, and finishes on Sunday, the 15th of March. The annual event celebrates science, technology, engineering and maths, and is the perfect opportunity to share amateur radio with new audiences. A number of clubs are hosting events that are open to the public, ranging from a practical skills night with Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society through to the Lincolnshire Portable Radio Group, which is delivering a youth event with the International Bomber Command Centre. Several groups and organisations are looking to arrange skeds during the week. These include Crowthorne and Wokingham Without Men's Shed with Bracknell Amateur Radio Club, and also South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group. Get involved with British Science Week by attending an event, or by arranging a sked with one of these groups. Find out more by going to rsgb.org/bsw  and selecting ‘Events happening near you' from the right-hand menu. If you haven't planned anything yet, you can get involved by doing the RSGB ‘Riding the wave' activity with your friends and family. Find this worksheet, along with numerous other ideas and resources, by going to the RSGB British Science Week web page. The President of the RSGB, Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, will be operating as GB5CC for this year's Commonwealth Contest, which takes place on the 14th and 15th of March. He will be doing so in memory of former RSGB President, Bob Whelan, G3PJT, who sadly became a Silent Key at the end of last year. Bob Beebe looks forward to making contacts across the Commonwealth and sharing time on the amateur bands to reflect the fellowship, tradition and sense of community that Bob Whelan valued so deeply. Find out more about the contest at rsgbcc.org/hf If you are planning a visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre, you'll be pleased to hear that, in line with Bletchley Park's summer opening hours, the Centre is now open for an extra hour and will close at 5 pm each day. Remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher for Bletchley Park at rsgb.org/bpvoucher Did you know that each RSGB region has a Facebook page that has a focus on regional amateur radio communities? The majority of the posts are from clubs, individual licensees and event organisers from that area, and the content is moderated by members of the RSGB Regional Team. Some RSGB news content is also shared that will be of interest to amateurs in that particular region. These pages can also be used to ask for help about any aspect of amateur radio. Whether you're an individual or a club, make use of this resource! You can find the pages on Facebook – go to facebook.com/groups/rsgbregion1  for Region 1 or substitute the region number for your local region. The 235 Alive DMR net takes place on TGIF Talk Group 235 on Mondays and Fridays from 7.30 pm. Everyone is welcome. For details of how to connect, visit the 235 Alive Facebook page or 235alive.com International Women's Day YL Parks on the Air Party takes place annually on the 8th of March. This isn't a contest. The main goal is to encourage women to get out, get on the air, and be more active in amateur radio. For more information, visit the International Women's Day YL POTA Party Facebook page. SOS Radio Week is an annual event that takes place throughout the month of May to celebrate the work of the volunteers from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Independent Lifeboats and National Coastwatch Stations around the British Isles. Registration is now open via sosradioweek.org.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 1st of March, the Exeter Radio Rally is taking place at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE. The rally includes a bring-and-buy area, disabled facilities, catering and free car parking. The entry fee is £3. Traders can gain entry from 8 am, and the doors open to the public at 10 am. For more information, email Bill, G7AKJ via billwrench213@btinternet.com On Sunday, the 22nd of March, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors will be open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the Southwest will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual catering service. Pre-booking is essential, so contact Alastair, M0KRR, via alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone on 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible. Visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk  for more information. Now the Special Event news Experimental Danish Radio Amateurs are celebrating the centenary of Denmark's first licensed amateurs. To mark the occasion, special callsign OZ100OZ will be on the air from 0000UTC on the 1st of March until 2359UTC on the 8th of March. For more information, including details of an award that is available for working the station, visit QRZ.com Special callsign ZL100C is active to celebrate the centenary of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters, which was formed on the 16th of August 1926. The callsign will be active until the 6th of August 2026. QSL via the Bureau and Logbook of the World. For more information, visit QRZ.com Now the DX news Arno, DL1CW, is active as 9G5ZZ from Ghana until Tuesday, the 3rd of March. He operates on the 80 to 6m bands mainly using CW. QSL via Logbook of the World, the Bureau and Arno's home call. Andre, PD1DRE, is active as PJ2/PD1DRE from Curacao, SA-099, until Wednesday, the 4th of March. He operates using FT4, FT8 and SSB on the HF bands. QSL via eQSL. Now the contest news Today, the 1st of March, the Worked All Britain 3.5MHz Phone Contest runs from 1800 to 2200 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and your Worked All Britain area. Tomorrow, the 2nd of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130 UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and signal number. On Tuesday, the 3rd of March, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday, the 3rd of March, the RSGB UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 4th of March, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 4th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday, the 4th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. The RSGB March 144 and 432 MHz Contest starts at 1400 UTC on Saturday, the 7th, and runs until 1400 UTC on Sunday, the 8th of March. Using all modes on the 2m and 70cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The ARRL International DX Contest starts at 0000 UTC on Saturday, the 7th and runs until 2359 UTC on Sunday, the 8th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is RST and Tx power. American stations also send their state, and Canadian stations send their province. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 26th of February 2026 We have just had a period of zero sunspots – the first time since June 2022. However, don't worry. This may be a sign of things to come, but this zero-spot period was short-lived. There are now signs of sunspots appearing over the Sun's eastern limb with old region 4366, last seen on the 11th of February, making its return. It is now renamed ‘active region 4378'. This is helping to boost the solar flux index, which stood at 125 on Thursday, the 26th of February. This is a long way off the usual solar flux index lows we experience at sunspot minimum, when it can be as low as 66 to 70. As we are now entering March and, with the hours of daylight increasing, we are seeing a change in HF propagation. The Spring equinox is a time for good North-South propagation, especially on the higher HF bands, although we may see the 10m band tailing off a little as we head towards summer. For the best overall DX HF propagation, head to 21MHz or higher, where you may get maximum global coverage. Propagation has been reasonable, but a high-speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole pushed the Kp index to 4 for long periods. This has not helped HF propagation, although its effects are not as bad as a Kp index of 6 or higher. DXpeditions to be worked this week include Bouvet Island, 3Y0K; Guinea Bissau, J51A; and the final days of Desecheo Island, KP5/NP3VI, which is due to end around the 3rd of March. Lubo, OM5ZW and Laco, OM4WM, will also be active from Thulusdhoo Island in the Maldives as 8Q7ZW from the 28th of February until the 12th of March 2026. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the 120 to 130 range. The solar wind model predicts that a cloud of plasma may hit Earth today, the 1st of March, so watch out for an increased Kp index. Otherwise, the first half of the coming week may be quiet, geomagnetically. However, the Kp index is predicted to rise to 4 on the 5th and 6th of March. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The early part of last week saw brief 50MHz FT8 spots of the J51A DXpedition to Guinea-Bissau in the southern part of the UK. As with TZ1CE last week, stations much further south benefited from the best propagation. As of Thursday, the 26th of February, Clublog showed no UK stations in their log yet. Earlier in the week, the station was an easy catch using FT8 on all the lower bands. The current spell of very unsettled weather will last into the early part of the coming week. Thereafter, it seems likely that high pressure will start to build over the country, possibly with another weak front after mid-week. This may soon be followed by another high before the end of the week. In terms of radio propagation, although some further rain scatter is probable at first, as we head into the coming week, there is every chance of tropo becoming a mode of choice. It's important to remember that not all highs are equal and, although they all tend to produce a strong temperature inversion, they may not be good for tropo if the air near the surface is too dry. Ideally, we need to see some misty low cloud or early morning fog trapped under the inversion for the better-quality lifts. This is because a change in moisture across the top of the inversion produces the biggest change to the refractive index. Other modes to consider, though not too seriously, are aurora after the recent coronal hole stream. The indication you are looking for is a high value Kp index, say 5 or greater, up to the maximum of 9. With meteor scatter, we are in a long gap in shower activity until the Lyrids in late April, so relying on random meteor activity is the best we can expect. Lastly, the prospects for Sporadic-E are not necessarily zero but are unlikely to be too exciting in this part of the year. The main summer season is normally considered to run from late April to mid-September. In the interim, the occasional burst of activity is possible, but probably limited to the 10 or 6m bands. For EME, Moon declination has started to fall again, going negative on Wednesday, the 4th of March. This means shortening Moon windows and lower peak elevation. Path losses are rising again after perigee. 144MHz sky noise is low throughout the coming week. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Esta semana en CQ en Frecuencia hablamos de dos temas que han marcado la actualidad reciente en el mundo de la radioafición. Crónica desde dentro del ARRL International DX Contest en CW Viajamos hasta la sede de la Asociación de Radioaficionados de Molins de Rei para conocer cómo vivieron el concurso de telegrafía más importante del calendario internacional. Operadores noveles y experimentados compartiendo estación, estrategias de RUN y búsqueda, técnicas avanzadas como el 2BSIQ y un objetivo común: cruzar el Atlántico durante 48 horas de alta intensidad. 500 contactos y 163.000 puntos después, analizamos no solo los números, sino también el valor formativo y humano de los concursos. FT2: el “terremoto” digital de la semana Damos mi opinión personal sobre la irrupción del nuevo modo digital FT2. Un sistema que reduce los ciclos de transmisión a 3,8 segundos, pero que lo hace sacrificando sensibilidad y ancho de banda respecto a FT8. ¿Es una evolución lógica? ¿Es el “TikTok” de los modos digitales? ¿Estamos ganando velocidad a costa de perder señales débiles y QRP? Reflexión técnica y personal sobre lo que supone realmente este nuevo modo para quienes disfrutamos del DX en HF. Rincón Diexista – Informe de Radioescucha de la AER Cerramos el episodio con el tradicional informe de la Asociación Española de Radioescucha, con las últimas novedades para los amantes de la onda corta y la escucha internacional. Un episodio que mezcla concurso, tecnología digital y radioescucha… con opinión, análisis y pasión por la radio. ¿Nos apoyas para que podamos seguir haciendo este podcast? Puedes apoyarnos en QRP con 1,99€ al mes o un poco más de potencia en QRO, con 5,99€ al mes aquí: https://cqenfrecuencia.com/apoyar/ NOTAS DEL EPISODIO - ARRL https://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar - Características del FT2 y enlaces de descarga https://hampass.com/ft2 - Web de la AER https://aer.org.es/ Envía tus preguntas, propuestas de temas o lo que quieras: https://cqenfrecuencia.com/contacto/ O en nuestro canal de Telegram: https://t.me/cqenfrecuencia Y no olvidéis visitar nuestra web: https://cqenfrecuencia.com

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com5X - Uganda – Richard, HB9FHV,is currently in Uganda for a brief visit with basic radio equipment until February 28, 2026. He plans limited activity as 5X4TA almost daily on the 10, 15, and 20 meter bands between 1500Z and 1600Z.  TZ - Mali - Ulmar, DK1CE, should be QRV as TZ1CE until March 1.  He will be doing mostly FT8 and SSB and says when he's on FT8 he gives stations outside Europe precedent at alltimes.  He plans special attention to 160M FT8, 80M FT8 and 6M and will update daily on Club Log, the LoTW log will be after the operation. FJ - St. Barthelemy – On February 12, Andreas, DK6AS, began his February/March 2026 FJ/DK6AS operation from St. Barts. He'll be QRV on CW, FT4 and CT8 on 3.5 through 50 MHz, including participation in the ARRL International DX CW Contest. QSL via DK6AS either direct or via the bureau.VP5 - Turks and Caicos Islands - The Russell family (WD5JR, N5VOF and KJ5CMP) are in the Turks and Caicos Islands until February 23. They have an IC-7300 and KX2 running 5 to 100 watts into a 17 foot whip with coil and EFHW. They are active as VP5/HC on 7 through 50 MHz on SSB and CW. They areuploading videos to their YouTube channel Radio Roamers and Facebook page Radio Roamers.  QSL via their home calls with SASE.  J5 - Guinea-Bissau - The J51A DXpedition team, heading for Bijagos Archipelago (AF-020) in the February-March time frame giving the following update.  "J51A on QO-100: We were asked to be active on QO-100 satellite, too. We learnt that J5 has NEVER been active on QO-100 before.So, we decided to give it a try for a lot of ATNO contacts on SSB, CW and FT8. However, none of us has operated over  satellite before. Please bear with us if we do something stupid or unexpected. Just let us know by E-Mail ( j51a@gmx.de ) and we'llfix any misbehavior  A.S.A.P. Technically; we will use 50 MHz as the IF band. It means that we  cannot do 50 MHz when on QO-100, and vice versa. QO-100 operation will start a  couple of days after the other bands. Please watch the "News" sectionon  www.qrz.com/db/J51A for more info." OX – Greenland - From February 17th to March 9th, 2026, Bo, OZ1DJJ, will be active as OX3LX from Aasiaat City/Island (GP38NQ, NA-134) during this period. Please note, this is nota DXpedition but rather a business trip, so activity may be limited. 8Q - Maldives – Alex, OE5AUH, is planning a holiday operation as 8Q7AH from Rasdhoo Atoll March 1-10.  RI1F - Franz Jozef Land - The Russian DX Team is preparing a major DXpedition to Franz Josef Land (RI1FJL), The Arctic Ocean archipelago, ranked 44th globally and 26th in North America. The operation will feature at least five high-power radio stations running continuously on all HF bands for 15 days in September 2026, aiming to contact as many stations as possible, including those in distant areas.The total budget for this trip is close to $80,000, making it their most expensive expedition yet, and financial support from DX clubs and individuals is crucial for its success. Donations are encouraged and can be made through the team's website - https://www.rudxt.org/ri1fjl or directlyvia PayPal un7jid@mail.ru. In addition to the previously mentioned KP5/NP3VI interview, the DX Mentor podcast will be with Hal, W8HC. Hal will bediscussing the 9U1RU DXpedition that logged almost 180,000 QSOs. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

GB2RS News Sunday the 22nd of February   The news headlines: RSGB 2026 Elections – Nominated Director candidates announced A year in numbers 2025 – a celebration of RSGB achievements Former RSGB President Colin Thomas, G3PSM, is now a Silent Key  In this year's RSGB elections, there are vacancies for two Nominated Directors. Following a rigorous selection process, the Society's Nominations Committee has chosen to put forward Graham Smith, G4NMD, and Patrick Wood, 2E0IFB, for endorsement. RSGB members will be able to vote to endorse these candidates when voting opens on Wednesday, the 18th of March. To help you learn more about the candidates, the RSGB has published two videos. The candidates weren't given the questions in advance and were interviewed separately. You can watch their in-depth answers in a single easy-to-view video, whilst the two-minute video provides their brief thoughts on RSGB membership. You can watch them on the RSGB YouTube channel and on its website at rsgb.org/candidates Amateur radio continues to evolve, and the RSGB, in turn, develops how it supports current radio amateurs and reaches out to new audiences. The RSGB General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB, wrote his annual feature called ‘A year in numbers' for the March issue of RadCom. In it he shared some of the year's great achievements in which RSGB HQ staff have often led the way. Read the full feature and view the infographic on page 48 of the March edition. You can also see the highlights in a brief video on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Colin Thomas, G3PSM. Colin worked tirelessly for the RSGB and was President from 2008 to 2009. He made a great contribution to the acquisition and defence of the radio spectrum. Within Region 1, he played a leading role in the acquisition of additional bands, including 136kHz, 472kHz, allocations at 5MHz and the expansion of 7MHz. He also led the successful defence of existing allocations. IARU Region 1 radio amateurs owe him a huge debt. Colin was an Honorary Life Vice-President and a recipient of the Founder's trophy in recognition of his work both for the Society and for the IARU. A full tribute to Colin is being prepared for the RSGB website and for RadCom. The RSGB is reminding radio amateurs that the frequencies at 5MHz are only available on a secondary basis to holders of a UK Full amateur radio licence. Foundation and Intermediate licence holders are not allowed to operate on 5MHz. You can find details about this in the OFW611 amateur radio licence terms and conditions booklet, which is available from ofcom.org.uk, and there is also more information about operating on this band at rsgb.org/5mhz Are you passionate about attracting older people to amateur radio, while retaining and engaging our valued senior members? The RSGB is seeking an enthusiastic individual to take on the role of Honorary Mature Members' Officer. This volunteer leadership role will champion the inclusive ethos of amateur radio and promote how the hobby can be enjoyed by all, irrespective of age. You will help to ensure that mature members feel supported, valued and actively involved and build a small team to develop initiatives that strengthen engagement across our community. If you are an RSGB Member and are committed to helping others remain active and involved in the hobby they love, visit rsgb.org/volunteers to read the full role description and find out how to apply. Time is running out to submit your entry to the RSGB 2026 Construction Competition. The deadline is Sunday, the 1st of March. You'll need to email a short description of your entry and up to four photographs. It is also recommended to send a link to a video that demonstrates your entry working. More details on submitting your application can be found via rsgb.org/construction-competition. The results of the competition will be announced during the RSGB 2026 Annual General Meeting on Saturday, 18th of April. To encourage activity on the 2m band, the 145 Alive team has introduced 145 Alive 50. The trial period for this initiative runs until the 18th of April. The rules are simple. Call CQ on the calling channel and have at least one QSO per day on the 2m band. Record your contacts and send your log for 50 or more days, in ADIF format, to 145aliveuk@gmail.com. Electronic certificates will be supplied by the 145 Alive team to successful applicants. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday, the 1st of March, the Exeter Radio Rally will take place at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE. The rally will include a bring-and-buy area, disabled facilities, catering and free car parking. The entry fee is £3. Traders can gain entry from 8 am, and the doors open to the public at 10 am. For more information, email Bill, G7AKJ via billwrench213@btinternet.com On Sunday, the 22nd of March, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors will be open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the southwest will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual catering service. Pre-booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR, via alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone on 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible. Visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk for more information. Now the Special Event news Today, Sunday the 22nd, Hartlepool Amateur Radio Club will be operating using special callsign GB100HG for World Thinking Day on the Air. Listen for activity on the 40, 20 and 10m bands, mainly using SSB and possibly CW and FT8. FM contacts will also be possible on the 2m and 70cm bands. The operators are keen to make as many contacts as possible. If you hear them, please give them a call. Celebrating World Radio Day, the VIC Amateur Radio Contest DX Club is operating as 4UNR until the 28th of February using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via OQRS. Now the DX news Michael, OZ6ABL, is active as 5Z4/OZ6ABL from Watamu in Kenya, until Saturday, the 28th of February. Activity is on the 80 to 6m bands using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4. QSL via Logbook of the World, OQRS, or via Michael's home call. Ulmar, DK1CE, is active as TZ1CE from Bamako in Mali until Sunday, the 1st of March. He is operating mainly FT8 on the HF bands. SSB contacts are also possible. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 22nd of February, the UK Microwave Group EHF Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1700 UTC. Using all modes on 76 to 241GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The REF Contest started at 0600 UTC yesterday, the 21st, and runs until 1800 UTC today, Sunday the 22nd of February. Using SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.   The ARRL International DX Contest started at 0000UTC yesterday, the 21st, and finishes at 2359 UTC today, Sunday, the 22nd of February. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, the exchange is signal report and transmitter power. American stations also send their state, and Canadian stations send their province. Tomorrow, the 23rd of February, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2200 UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday, the 24th of February, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 13cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 25th of February, the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100 UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday, the 26th of February, the RSGB 80m club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130 UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The CQ 160m DX Contest starts at 2200 UTC on Friday, the 27th of February and runs until 2200 UTC on Sunday, the 1st of March. Using SSB on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. American stations also send their state, and Canadian stations send their province. On Sunday the 1st of March, the Worked All Britain 3.5MHz Phone Contest runs from 1800 to 2200 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and your Worked All Britain area. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 19th of February. We had a week of relatively low solar flux indices and mostly settled geomagnetic conditions. While the solar flux index fell to the 117 to 129 range, the Kp index was mostly in the twos and threes. This was after the weekend's geomagnetic disturbance, due to a large coronal hole that expelled solar plasma in a stream that moved past Earth at nearly 700 kilometres per second. As a result, HF conditions have been quite good with plenty of DX being worked. The KP5/NP3VI Desecheo Island DXpedition near Puerto Rico has been a struggle for many, due to its popularity and use of solar-powered batteries and low power. One quick hint: try FT8 on the 40m band around 7 to 7.30 am. You get a greyline enhancement at sunrise, but for much of Europe, the band is closing, which means there is little competition. Let us know how you get on. Other DX this week includes 8R1WA in Guyana. This is an Italian team operating until Friday, the 27th of February. Chuck will be active as VP2MCV on Montserrat and will be active in the ARRL DX CW Contest until the end of the month. Finally, a German team will be operating as J51A in Guinea-Bissau until mid-March. Another large solar coronal hole became Earth-facing on Friday, the 20th of February, so we may expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions from today, the 22nd. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasted a low solar flux index of 105 for yesterday, the 21st, before rising again to potentially reach 165 by the end of this month. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 24th and 25th with an estimated Kp index of 5. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th of February saw afternoon openings on 50MHz to TZ1CE in Mali to generate DX interest. However, as expected, it was stations much further south that benefited from the best propagation, with just a few stations in the southern areas of the UK making QSOs on FT8. The present spell of unsettled weather remains the main theme for the period up to the end of the coming week. The pattern is controlled by a strong Atlantic jet stream, so ‘changeable' is the watchword with periods of heavy rain alternating with brighter showery interludes and, of course, quite strong winds at times. In terms of propagation, rain scatter is a clear favourite, although in one cloudy period in mild air around Tuesday the 24th, some possible tropo may show up for southern areas of the UK.  The meteor scatter options are again subject to random activity since we are still some way off the next important shower, the Lyrids, in late April.   The auroral prospects have, at best, been gently simmering at low values of the Kp index, mostly less than 5. Stay tuned, though, because we may see an uptick around Tuesday the 24th. So watch for signs of fluttery signals on the LF bands and then check for auroral tones on 10m and up through the 6 to 2m bands. These events are always a bit of a long shot, but should be worth checking this time. The sporadic-E season is still some way off, although a strong jet stream pattern is always a positive. For EME, Moon declination is positive and rising, meaning longer Moon windows and higher peak elevation. Path loss continues to fall as we approach perigee on Tuesday, the 24th. 144MHz sky noise starts the coming week low, rising to moderate towards the end. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

We have two operations from J5 - Guinea-BissauFirst - DA1DX, Ben, the organizer of the J51A DXpedition to Guinea-Bissau in February/March 2026, shares several updates. The ARRL has approved the J51A license for DXCC, and the LoTW certificate has been received. After clarifying frequency and mode permissions with the national authority and confirming alignment with IARU Region 1 Band Plans, all standard bands and modes-including 160m, 60m, WARC bands, and 50 MHz-are confirmed valid for DXCC, IOTA, and other awards. The DXpedition is entirely privately funded, with RF-POWER lending five amplifiers and all other equipment privately owned. Ben invites donations via Club Log OQRS and provides a link for more information. https://www.qrz.com/db/J51A Secondly, J52EC is on until February 28th by operator IZ3BUR, Livio. He has an IC-7410, 100 watts, to a 3-element Yagi on 20, 15 and 10.TL - Central African Republic & TT – Chad - TJ1GD, Darek, has established permanent amateur radio stations in the Central African Republic and in Chad, which are maintained locally. These stations (TL8GD and TT1GD), licensed to Darek, operate periodically-often remotely using FT8, CW, and SSB. QSL confirmations are available via LoTW and Club Log.KP5/NP3VI, Desecheo Island - KP5/NP3VI is now 2 weeks into its planned 30-day operation. Their latest published statistics are as follows: Over 55,000 QSOs are in the log, with 91.1 percent of the QSOs with North American and Europe. CN - Morocco - F6FYD, Yannick, expects to return to Morocco next week. In early March he also has plans to go to Mogador Island (AF-065), Agadir, and El Jadida and has the callsign CN2YD.FG – Guadeloupe - TF1OL, Olafur, will be live from Guadeloupe starting Wednesday next week for approximately seven days. No word on what callsign he will be using. Following the stay in Guadeloupe, plans to visit other islands are pending permission to operate.TZ - Mali - The next TZ1CE by DK1CE, Ulmar, is February 10 to March 1. He will be doing mostly FT8 and SSB and says when he's on FT8 he gives stations outside Europe precedent at all times. He plans special attention to 160M FT8, 80M FT8 and 6M and will update daily on Club Log, the LoTW log will be after the operation, and in Mali 60M operation is not allowed.FG - Guadeloupe - FG/F6HMQ, Tildas, and FG/F6GWV, Mike, are there for another week or so, with a pair of IC-7300 radios, to vertical wires. "Holiday style," they are 60-10M SSB, FT4 and FT8. LoTW confirmations will be available within a few days. YU – Serbia - This year is the 170th anniversary of Nikola Tesla's birth. Stations in the Amateur Radio Union of Serbia are authorized to use callsign YT170TESLA through the end of this year.XU - Cambodia - DL7BO, Tom, will once again be QRV as XU7O from February 7-21, reports DX News.S9 - Sao Tome & Principe – S53BV is QRV as S9BV until February 20, holiday style "from a quiet location," Borut, will be on with an IC-7000 to verticals and dipoles. He plans to be on 60, 40, 30 and 15 CW and SSB. On 30, 40 and 60M CW, target frequencies are 10110, 7005 and 5351.5. Direct QSLs will be answered when he's back home. Club Log OQRS will be available, with limited internet access while there and "postal challenges." He will apparently give special instructions later.Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week!

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comV4 - St. Kitts - The 425 DX News reports that V47JA by W5JON is QRV from the island until February 3, SSB andFT8 on HF.  QSL direct to W5JON, or  use Logbook of the World. TL - Central African Republic & TT –Chad - TJ1GD, Darek, has established permanent amateur radio stations in the Central African Republic and in Chad, which are maintained locally. These stations (TL8GD and TT1GD), licensed to Darek, operate periodically-often remotely using FT8, CW, and SSB. QSL confirmations are available via LoTW and Club Log.J5 - Guinea-Bissau – Livio, IZ3BUR, is once again QRV as J52EC starting January 24. He has been reported on SSB on 10 and 15 meters. Numerous sources report he is there until March. QSL direct only via IZ3BUR. C2 - Nauru – Phil, FK1TS, is back on Nauru Island and expects to be active as C21TS on FT8 by the weekend, after setting up his vertical antenna. He will operate until July 2026, and Club Log Livestream will indicate when he is on the air. KP5/NP3VI, Desecheo Island - KP5/NP3VI is now 2 weeks into its planned 30-day operation. Their latest published statistics are as follows: 29,418 QSOs with 8,291 unique callsigns; ATNO for 1,66 stations. Six continents are represented in the log, with 91.1 percent of the QSOs with North American and Europe. However, North America contacts continue to decrease in percentage as they increase activity with other regions.  C5 - The Gambia - C5SP, Przemyslaw and C5MB, Magdalena are QRV from Sanyang, Gambia (Grid Square IK13pf) until March 2026. QSL cards are available via SP3PS Direct, but not through LoTW.H4 - Solomon Islands - DL2GAC, Bernhard now in the Solomon Islands as H44MS until mid-May.  He departed India last Wednesday, arriving in the Solomons' capital on Friday.  He is renewing his H44MS license, which was scheduled to expire in early February.  He will move to his "usual QTH" there tomorrow or Wednesday.  He has taken with him a Hexbeam that covers 20-6, to replace his old tri-bander that covered 20-10.  He says the weather is poor, lots of rain, no sunshine.  He plans to mostly be on 40M this time, with a dipole 20M high in a palm tree near the ocean.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.I mentioned previously that I would be addressing two issues, as I do at the beginning of each year. The first is my goals for 2026. We accomplished that last week. The second issue was to share those contests that I have participated in over the years. I have found them to be excellent opportunities to improve your skills, garner you some new band slots and potentially some ATNOS. The dates that I am referring to include the State QSO Parties, international DX contests, and regional DX contests. I have worked many normally difficult entities during contests and found it very easy (sometimes) to get them in the log. I have about 90 dates that I would suggest that you keep in mind. However, you don't need to write them down. I have created two items to make it easy for you. There is a list of dates andcontests in both .pdf and Excel format. Both files can be found at www.aj8b.com/files. Let me know if you have any questions. If you are somewhat skilled with Excel, you can create a CSV file from the Excel workbook and import it in to your personal calendar.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comKP5/NP3VI, Desecheo Island, makes history  - At its four-day mark, KP5/NP3VI has made over 10,000 QSOs on all continents. Their goal is to make over 100,000 QSOsduring their 30 days on the air. J5 - Guinea-Bissau - Bavarian Contest Club members will be operating J51A from Guinea-Bissau in February/March 2026. The location is on the island's northern shore with an unobstructed view over water, using generator power 24/7 due to lack of public electricity. Their  main goal is to provide contacts from Guinea-Bissau, which is ranked as number  85 worldwide, and number 53 in Asia. QSL cards and LoTW confirmations will be managed through Club Log OQRS, and donations are welcome via Club Log.H4 - Solomon Islands - DL2GAC, Bernhard now in the Solomon Islands as H44MS until mid-May.  He departed India last Wednesday, arriving in the Solomons' capital on Friday.  He is renewing his H44MS license, which was scheduled to expire in early February.  He will move to his "usual QTH" there tomorrow or Wednesday.  He has taken with him a Hexbeam that covers 20-6, to replace his old tri-bander that covered 20-10.  He says the weather is poor, lots of rain, no sunshine.  He plans to mostly be on 40M this time, with a dipole 20M high in a palm tree near the ocean. V6 - Federated States of Micronesia - Yesterday afterarriving on Chuuk (OC-011), JA1XGI (Haru) reports his amplifier was likely damaged during airport transport. Nevertheless, he has been active as V6CU25, operating FT8 and CW on 160, 40, 30, 20, and 15 meters. S21WD – Bangladesh 2026: Project Update - The NextGeneration DX Club is pleased to announce a major milestone for its upcoming Bangladesh DXpedition: the callsign S21WD has been officially issued for the project. The DXpedition will be active for 12 days and operate on 160 through 10 meters, including 5 MHz (60 m), using CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8. In addition, activity via the QO-100 satellite is planned using CW, SSB, and FT4. I mentioned that the KP5 DXpedition to Desecheo was racking up record numbers and they were working all continents. If you would like to learn more about this DXpedition, check out the DX Mentor podcast and YouTube channel. AJ8B and W8GEX had a great discussion with team leader, Otis, NP4G, about all aspects of the DesecheoDXpedition. Give it a listen and let me know what you think!  Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. IHope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week! 

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comKP5 - Desecheo Island – On Monday, KP5/NP3VI began operations from Desecheo Island, the first time KP5 has been on the air since 2009. NP4G, Otis, and several other team members were on the island setting up the antennas, stations and solar panels. We have an update from the KP5 team - Desecheo DXpedition 2026 Update“Please be patient—this is only Day Two of a planned 30-day activation. This DXpedition represents a completely new operating concept designed specifically for environmentally sensitive, highly regulated, and restricted locations. As with any first-of-its-kind effort, refinements are ongoing. Our team leaders, along with electrical and software engineers, are actively fine-tuning operating schedules, band and mode selection, RF power levels, and overall system performance to optimize results as conditions evolve. Due to Desecheo's geographic location, North American stations are currently dominating propagation. That said, our operators have been explicitly instructed to listen for DX stations and to give them priority whenever possible in order to broaden log coverage. We ask for your patience as we work through the pileups and strive to put as many stations as possible into the log.A primary goal of this DXpedition is to deliver as many ATNOs as we can worldwide. Thank you for your understanding, your support, and your cooperation.Good luck in the pileups—and we'll see you in the log!73,Steve N2AJMedia Officer & PilotDesecheo DXpedition 20265H - Tanzania - Dr. Charles, NK8O, is QRV from Tanzania as 5H3DX until February 9 with limited radio activity due to other commitments. He plans to operate mainly 20 to 10 meters, possibly 6 meters if conditions allow, using simple antennas. A more extensive operation is expected in April, and he is exploring remote operation, though limited Internet access is currently a challenge.VP0/H - South Shetland Islands - LZ0A (LZ1AAW), Ivo, continues his activity from the Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island. He is QRV in his spare time and has been reported on FT8 on 20 and 15 meters. QSL via LZ1KDP.3X, Guinea - Herman, YB3GIH, is QRV from Boff as 3X/YB3GIH and plans to remain there until about June while working on a contract. His station setup includes an ICOM IC-718 at 100W and a homebrew vertical antenna. He is operating on 20 and 15M SSB. QSL options are eQSL, Club Log, and LoTW.TY - Benin - Gerard's, F5NVF, flight to Benin was delayed by snow in Paris, but he plans to be active on CW as TY5GG later this week where he is scheduled until April 6.PJ2 - Curacao – Jeff, K8ND, operating as PJ2ND, is QRV in Curaáao and will stay until January 30. He will participate in the CQWW 160 Meter CW Contest as PJ2T later in the month and will be active on the bands as PJ2ND until then. QSL for PJ2ND goes via K8ND or Logbook of the World, and for PJ2T via KU9C or Logbook of the World.6W – Senegal – Rudi, 6W/DB1RUL, is QRV and will continue to January 20. He plans to upload the log to LoTW. Other routes are the bureau to his home callsign, or direct with 2 USD. 4S - Sri Lanka – Peter, 4S7KKG, says everything is the same as in previous years. "I'll be here in 4S until the end of March!" His other call is DC0KK. QSL direct or bureau through Club Log OQRS or, he calls it "direct-direct," with SASE and 2 USD to his German home QTH. Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week!

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comVP2V - British Virgin Islands - W5GI, Jonathan,has returned to Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands and is QRV as VP2V/W5GI until January 20th. He is hopeful to work 1000 stations from POTA VG-0021. Listen for him on SSB and FT8 from both the park and his living QTH. He will be mainly on 20 meters but can also operate on 40, 17, 15, 12and 10 meters.ZD7 - St. Helena Island - AC1GQ, Casey,will be on St. Helena Island from January 10-24. He plans to operate with a QRP rig (QMX from QRP Labs) and an end-fed antenna (QRP Guys) on the 40m and 20m bands, if possible. Casey  will bring a copy of his home amateur radio license and is seeking advice on applying for a ZD7 license.  This one is right around the corner. “In collaboration with the Vieques Island Amateur Radio Club (NP3VI) and theManyana DXFoundation, we are proud to announce KP5/NP3VI, a landmark DXpedition to Desecheo Island (KP5), currently ranked by Club Log as the 14th most wantedDXCC entity worldwide. Located approximately 13 miles off the west coast of Puerto Rico, Desecheo Island has not been activated since 2009. This operation represents the first Puerto Rican-led DXpedition to Desecheo in 48 years,following the historic KP4AM/D activation in 1978. The primary mission of this DXpedition is to provide an All-Time New One (ATNO) to as many amateur radio operators worldwide as possible. Operators from Puerto Rico and international locations will participate to maximize coverage, band availability, and global accessibility. To ensure continuous, global on-air presence, two self-sustainedRemote Deployable Units (RDUs) provided by the Manyana DXFoundation will be deployed on the island. These stations will operate 24 hours per day for 30 consecutive days,utilizing state-of-the-art remote operating infrastructure from Remote Ham Radio (RHR). Operations will be livestreamed, and there will be real-time activityupdates via Club Log. NP4G, Dr. Otis Vicens, is DXpedition leader, and N2AJ, Stephen Hass, is media officer and pilot. DK6SP, Philipp, and DJ4MX, Sven, have announced the next adventure of the Next Generation DX Club. “This time, ouryoung and ambitious team will travel to the People's Republic of Bangladesh, better known as S2 to the amateur radio community…After bringing you 8R7X, Guyana in 2024 and V73WW, Marshall Islands last year, we are ready to make waves from one  Asia's most exciting and under-activated locations.” More information about callsign, dates, andoperators will follow. XU - Cambodia - DL7BO, Tom, who is QRV until January 18, is using the callsign XU7O. He will be active on 160-6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8, with a focus on the lower bands. QSLinformation remains direct to DJ4WK, or via LoTW, Club Log, or eQSL. FY - French Guiana - F4GPK, Peter, is QRV as TO2FY until January 15 from Kourou. C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRV from The Gambia as C5YK until January 25. He is operating on SSB, RTTY, PSK,FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website.   Z6 – Kosovo - HB9TSW, Gab, isQRV as Z68BG from Slatina Air Base, Kosovo, until January 28 using CW only. For direct QSL, send an SAE  with 3 green stamps via HB9TSW.

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comLZØA, South Shetland Islands - LZ1AAW, Ivo, is onhis way to the South Shetland Islands where he will be working during the 34thBulgarian Antarctic expedition. He plans to be QRV in his spare time as LZØA. The dates are from December 28 to February 16, plus or minus two days. Ivo expects to be on 20M, and possibly other bands, on SSB and FT8/FT4. Theactivation is registered under IOTA reference AN-010 and WAP reference WAP BUL-01, and falls within CQ Zone 13, ITU Zone 73, and the DXCC entity VP8, LU -South Shetland Islands (#67 on the Club Log DXCC Most Wanted list). CE0X - San Felix and San Ambrosio - Felipe, XQ7IR, ispreparing for his upcoming 3G0XQ DXpedition to San Ambrosio, scheduled from January 12 to February 15.  He recently drove 14 hours to the Port of Valparaiso to oversee his equipment being shipped to Juan Fernandez.  Once all necessary paperwork is completed, Felipe and his gear will continue on to San Ambrosio by charter vessel in the coming weeks. This update is courtesy of DX World. XU - Cambodia - DL7BO, Tom, who is QRV until January 18, is using the callsign XU7O. He will be active on 160-6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8, with a focus on the lower bands. QSL information remains direct to DJ4WK, or via LoTW, Club Log, or eQSL. FO - French Polynesia - FO/JI1JKW is QRVuntil January 6 from Tikehau and Tuamotu islands.  The band plan is to operate 7, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28 and 50, and SSB, CW and FT8.  QSL to his home QTH or use LoTW. FY - French Guiana - F4GPK, Peter, is QRV as TO2FY until January 15 from Kourou. C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRVfrom The Gambia as C5YK until January 25. He is operating on SSB, RTTY, PSK, FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website.   VP8 - South Shetland Islands - LZ1AAW, Ivo, is heading to the Bulgarian Antarctic Base "St. Kliment Ohridski" on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands (IOTA AN-010). He plans tooperate as LZ0A during his free time from late December 2025 to mid-February 2026. The base, located at 62¯38'S, 60¯21'W in the eastern part of Livingston Island, has been permanently staffed since December 11, 1993. 5Z – Kenya- Not an expedition but on the air casually, "holiday style," will be OZ6ABL/5Z4, Michael Johansen, January 15-28.  He says he will try to get on the air as much as possible.  It is his 14th trip to Kenya but the first time taking a radio along. Michael will be on 80-6 but did not get permission for60.  QSL to his home call, OZ6ABL, and LoTW and Club Log will also work. Z3 - Republic of North Macedonia - The specialevent callsign Z380CEF is being used to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Ham Radio Club "STEVO PATAKOT" in Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia. The club, formerly known as YU5CEF and currently Z37CEF, has been active since 1946. Operations will continue until December 31, 2026. XT - Burkina Faso – Max, DK1MAX, will be in Burkina Faso from January 4th to January 11th, 2026, operating as XT2MAX. He plans to use an IC-7300 rig with up to 100W of power, working mostly on 20m to 6m bands, and possibly lower bands if conditions allow. Modes will include CW, SSB, and FTx (MSHV, no F/H). QSLs will be handled via EA5GL and Club Log, with daily free LoTW uploads. 

Foundations of Amateur Radio When you start the process of getting your hobby off the ground, either for the first time, or after a hiatus, you might be left with the impression that the only way to "do amateur radio" is to have a shack, a place where you can set-up your gear, and connected to that gear using coax, one or more antennas. While that's a common scenario, it's not the only one at your disposal. We are after all in the game of communication and over the past few decades options have exploded. Starting closest to the traditional radio, coax and antenna, is to consider indoor antennas. There's many to choose from. You can install one in the same room as your shack, or, you can build your antennas in the roof space, either way, invisible from the outside can sometimes be a requirement. Stealth is a topic all its own, and no doubt we'll get to that another time. A word of caution. If you do have an indoor antenna and associated coax, consider your transmitter power levels, since it's likely that given the close proximity, you'll exceed emissions safety standards, or you'll cause harm to other electronic equipment in the building. QRP or low power is a good way to go if this is something you're considering. If we step away from a traditional radio, coax, antenna configuration, you can build your shack in other ways too. For example, you can use a local repeater which you might trigger from a local handheld radio. Often dismissed as being for local communications only, there are thousands of repeaters across the globe offering a variety of bands, frequencies and modes. Often you can access a local repeater that can be connected to a remote one using a bewildering array of technologies, some using the internet, some using traditional RF. You'll find repeaters on 10m, 6m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm. There's nothing stopping you making your own repeater. You don't even need to go through the effort of making it completely standalone, for example, my Yaesu FT-857d has a detachable face-plate or head, connected to the main body by a short cable. There are plenty of other radios with a similar configuration. Presumably designed for the installation in a vehicle, where the head needs to be near the driver and there's unlikely to be space for the body, you can run a longer cable from the head to the body and install it somewhere more convenient. In my case it was bolted underneath the removable floor into the boot next to the spare tyre. There's several solutions that replace the connecting cable with an internet connection. Now, that internet connection can be across the room, from inside your shack to your garage, or between your shack and a remote hill where you have permission to put up a bit of gear. In fact, the same type of setup can be used to connect to shared radios, and companies like Elecraft, Flex Radio and ICOM make specific remote heads that can operate remote radio equipment, marketed as RF decks, without needing to install and maintain computers at either end, but more often than not, this equipment is brand or model specific. Which raises another option. You can connect to remote equipment across the internet using your computer, which means that your shack might be a computer, a laptop, or a mobile phone and your gear might be in a different country. Many radio clubs have discovered that their often extensive radio shack is virtually unused during the week, and have installed remote equipment to allow you as a member to connect, sometimes as part of your membership, sometimes with an extra fee, since there are costs associated with setting this up and keeping it running. At some point you're going to discuss this with other amateurs and you're potentially going to hear someone tell you that this is not "real radio". Considering over a century of radio evolution, from spark-gap through valves, transistors, integrated circuits and software defined radio, where exactly is the "real radio" line drawn? Is using WSPR, RTTY, FT8, Hellschreiber, Olivia, SSTV, PSK31, Domino, MFSK and thousands of other digital modes "real radio"? If the answer to that is an emphatic "yes", then ask yourself, how do you actually use those modes? The answer looks suspiciously like a computer running digital mode software, either connected to a physical radio in the same room, or connected to one across the internet. In other words, with the proliferation of communication alternatives, amateur radio is evolving. No doubt it will evolve further. So, today, a perfectly viable, and some might say, modern, amateur radio shack might not actually have any traditional RF based radio gear, though perhaps a hand-held might be something to consider when you next treat yourself, not because without it you're not a real amateur, but because it opens your world to other means of communication, something which I think is perhaps even more important than building the perfect shack. In other words, you are not required to have a shack to be a radio amateur, it's just that it brings with it another dimension of engagement and activity. Speaking from personal experience, I miss my functional shack, but it's evolving, so there's that. Next time I'll take a look at antennas, stealthy or otherwise. I'm Onno VK6FLAB

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com LZØA, South Shetland Islands - LZ1AAW, Ivo, is onhis way to the South Shetland Islands where he will be working during the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic expedition. He plans to be QRV in his spare time as LZØA. The dates are from December 28 to February 16, plus or minus two days. Ivoexpects to be on 20M, and possibly other bands, on SSB and FT8/FT4. This initiative continues the long-standing tradition of Bulgarian presence and activity in Antarctica.  XU - Cambodia – DL7BO, Tom, will be on the air as XU7GNY, December 22 to January 18.  Tom will be on 160-6 CW, SSB and FT8, concentrating on the lower bands.  QSL direct to DJ4WK or use LoTW, Club Log or eQSL. 4K – Azerbaijan – 4K/DL4XT, Jan, will on 40 and 20-10M SSB, CW and FT8 December 26 to January 3.  He will be on the air casually, aka "holiday style."  For a QSL it's LoTW, Club Log OQRS and QRZ. TL - Central African Republic -  CR7BNW, João Salvador Correia, is set for his six-month TL8BNW operation in Bangui. His first activity has already begun using SSB and FT8 on 40, 20, 15, and 10M. QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW, QRZ Logbook, and via the Portuguese QSL bureau.FY - French Guiana - F4GPK, Peter, will be on as TO2FY December 22 to January 15 from  Kourou. C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRV from The Gambia until January 25. He is operating as C5YK on SSB, RTTY, PSK,FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website.   VP8 - South Shetland Islands - LZ1AAW, Ivo, isheading to the Bulgarian Antarctic Base "St. Kliment Ohridski"on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands (IOTA AN-010). He plans to operate as LZ0A during his free time from late December 2025 to mid-February 2026. The base, located at 62¯38'S, 60¯21'W in the eastern part of Livingston Island, has been permanently staffed since December 11, 1993. Darren, K4DMN will be active in ‘holiday-style' from December 23 until January 1 from St. George Island, NA-085. Activity from 80 to 10 metres using mainly FT8. Side trip to Dog Island and St Vincent is possible. QSL via LoTW, Club Log.TG, GUATEMALA -   Todd, AF4CZ, will once again be operating as TG9/call from December 7 until January 5, 2026. Operation during his spare time from 40 to 10 metres using mainly FT8 and FT4. QSL via LoTW.3A, MONACO -  Col MM0NDX and Steve MM0SAJ will once again be QRV as 3A/MM0NDX and 3A/MM0SAJ during December 30 and January 3. QRV on various bands and modes. Main focus on low bands in their evenings. QSL both calls to EB7DX (LoTW also).D4 - Cape Verde Islands – Beni, HB9HNT, will operate under the call sign D4NT until January 1, 2026. OX - Greenland - Michael,call sign OX3MC, operates out of Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland. His upcoming assignment runs from December 29, 2025, to February 25, 2026. Michael is most active on weekends starting around 0400Z and sometimes works radio in the evenings after 2100Z. Michael works HF SSB (160-10 meters). QSL is via the Danish OZ Bureau, and he does not use electronic  logging.  4K - Azerbaijan - The 4K0T DX-Pedition and Contest Team, with the Azerbaijan Radio Amateurs Society (ARAS), will conduct the first Parks on the Air (POTA) activation from Shahdagh National Park (AZ-0006) in Azerbaijan. The event takes place from December 29 to 31, 2025, on the 17-meter band (SSB) from grid square LN41CH.

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com First, the bad news S2 – Bangladesh - S21AM and S21RCsay their planned IOTA AS-127 operation has been postponed until sometime next year.  Cited are logistical challenges  and operational constraints in the region and "adequateresource availability concerns." Now, the Good News U.S. amateurs to receive expanded 60-meter privileges - TheU.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized expanded use of the 60-meter band for U.S. amateur radio operators, following rules adopted at the World Radiotelecommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15). The new regulations, including a 15-watt effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) power limit (not effective radiated power, or ERP), will take effect 30 days after they are published in the Federal Register. Use of this band remains on a secondary basis. The full FCC Report and Order is available online, and ARRL provides more details on its website.  XU - Cambodia – DL7BO, Tom, will be on the air as XU7GNY, December 22 to January 18.  Tom will be on 160-6 CW, SSB and FT8, concentrating on the lower bands.  QSL direct to DJ4WK or use LoTW, Club Log or eQSL. 4K – Azerbaijan – 4K/DL4XT,Jan, will on 40 and 20-10M SSB, CW and FT8 December 26 to January 3.  He will be on the air casually, aka "holiday style."  For a QSL it's LoTW, Club Log OQRS and QRZ. A6 - United Arab Emirates – A60QATAR will be December 18-22 to join in Qatar's celebration.  Some Individual ops in UAE may use that call and add /1, /2, and similar. TL - Central African Republic -  CT1END, Carlos, reminds us CR7BNW, Joao, will be operating as  TL8BNW from Bangui, Central African Republic, for six months starting in December 2025. His first activity will take place from December 20-25, 2025, using SSB and FT8 on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW, QRZLogbook, and via the Portuguese QSL bureau.FY - French Guiana - F4GPK, Peter, will be on as TO2FY December 22 to January 15 from Kourou. TG – Guatemala - TG9/AF4CZ willbe on the air "holiday style," December 7 to January 5, mostly digital modes on 40-10.  He will upload his log to LoTW, eQSL and Club Log. Z8 - South Sudan - YI1DZ (akaZ81D), Diya's, contract with UN-WFP in South Sudan runs until March 10, 2026, with a possible 11-month extension pending approval. Due to frequent travel and a rotating work schedulethat includes leave every six weeks, radio activity is limited tofree time, mostly on weekends. The author is currently in Istanbul and will return to Juba on December 15 and could be very active as Z81D the following weekend.C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRV from The Gambia until January 25. He is operating as C5YK on SSB, RTTY, PSK, FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website.  “may be a little unreliable.” Manual log upload will be every several days. Borut says to not send cards through the bureau “as they will not find my home.” He will send direct cards once he is home in Slovenia, “via OQRS only.”  OQRS.   YU – Serbia - In celebration of IARU Region 1 Young Radio Operators Month, Serbian amateurs may use the special callsigns YT25YOTA and YU25YOTA throughout December 2025.

Here is what will be QRV this week:TG – Guatemala - TG9/AF4CZ will be on the air "holiday style," December 7 to January 5, mostly digital modes on 40-10.  He will upload his log to LoTW, eQSL and Club Log. Z8 - South Sudan - YI1DZ (aka Z81D), Diya's, contract with UN-WFP in South Sudan runs until March 10, 2026, with a possible 11-month extension pending approval. Due to frequent travel and a rotating work schedule that includes leave every six weeks, radio activity is limited to free time, mostly on weekends. The author is currently in Istanbul and will return to Juba on December 15 and could be very active as Z81D the following weekend. We have a new prefix from Trinidad and Tobago. WA3DX,Earl Markey, will be on as 9Y9DX from Arouca December 17-29, 40-10M FT8 and FT4. This is the first known issuance of the 9Y prefix. Earl says to QSL direct only to WA3DX or use LoTW. U.S. stations who want direct QSLs should include a self-addressed stamped envelope. He will also upload his log to Club Log.  C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRV from The Gambia until January 25. He is operating as C5YK on SSB, RTTY, PSK,FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website.   4X – Israel - 425 DX News reports that as part of celebrating Hanukkah, the Israel Association of Radio Communications will have special callsigns 4X8NER and 4Z8NER on the air December 14-22.  QSL using LoTW or direct to 4Z5MU, and there will be an online certificate as well.  VK - Australia - From now until December 24, VK2SANTA will be on the air,  allowing children and others to talk to the North Pole on various radio frequencies. Updated times and frequencies are available online at https://www.qrz.com/db/VK2SANTA T8 - Palau - Koh, JA1ADT plans to be active from Palau as T88AC until December 17, 2025. Participation in the ARRL 10m contest. Focus on low bands before / after the contest. QSL via LoTW. Paper QSL will be available if needed – send with enough return postage.  The DX Mentor features a new YouTube episode this coming weekend – a discussion with Joe, W8GEX, offering Tips and Hints for DXers to get more into the logbook.  Between Joe, and AJ8B, the host, they have almost 100 years of chasing DX. Check it out and let me know what you think!  If you want to follow all the latest DX Podcasts and YouTube releases, you should check out the DX Mentor Facebook page and subscribe to be kept up to date on all of the DX activities. 

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.Ihope you have been tuning around the bands this past week. It won't be long until the sunspots start to decline and you will long for the days of opening like we have now! Stay tuned next week for an announcement about a way you can learn some tips and tricks for finding and logging great DX. Each week I try to focus on those entities that will be available in the next 7 days. There is so much data to sift through that I thought a focus on the next week might be helpful Here is what you should find QRV when you tune the bands. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com5X, Uganda:G3XTT, Don Field, will return to Uganda for the CQ Worldwide DX Contest, DX, having had to cut his trip short last year for a domestic emergency. He will be entering the contest as 5X1DF, single operator, single band (40M), high power. QSL via G3XTT or Club Log.  G3XAQ, Alan Ibbetson, will again be on as 5X1XA from Bwerenga, near Kampala, November 17-December 3, “mostlyCW with perhaps some FT8.” He will be in the CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW, probably single band, (15M). QSL direct only to G3SWH or go through LoTW.    Hereare details on a DXPedition to Cambodia that should be QRV by now. The XU7RRCIOTA DXPedition is QRV until December 3, and is proceeding as planned, withupdates to be provided to the DX community via their website.  Wikipedia describes Koh Ta Kiev as “thebiggest of a small group of Cambodian islands situated four kilometers offOtres beach, Sihanoukville City, and one kilometer off the coast of Ream National Park.”  TY- BeninRed, DL1BUG, plans to be in Cotonou(JJ16fj) where he will operate as TY5FR. He will utilize an IC-7300 transceiverand CG3000 auto tuner, running 100 watts into either a 40-meter wire or G5RVantenna. He is QRV using CW and SSB across the 80-to-10-meter bands untilDecember 11. This period includes participation in the CQ Worldwide DX CWContest as a Single Operator All Band Low Power (SOAB LP) entry. All QSOs willbe uploaded to Club Log. QSLs may be sent direct or via the bureau to DL1BUG. ZD7- St. HelenaG3AB (aka 5Z4VJ), Andy, will be departingJohannesburg, South Africa on Friday November 21st heading to St. HelenaIsland. He'll be there and active as ZD7VJ from November 22 to December 7, includingthe CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest. ZL7- Chatham IslandsZL3I, Holger, is returning to the ChathamIslands and will be operating as ZL7IO. He plans to participate in the CQ WW DXCW Contest as a Single Operator All Band (SOAB), utilizing a newly installedsolar system with increased capacity. His stay is scheduled from November 24until December 4.  The DX Mentor features a new YouTubeepisode this coming weekend – a discussion with young op, Pia, DL7PIA. Pia isone of the youngest hams to win the CQ Marathon contest in Europe in 2024. Sheis also an accomplished contester, POTA operator, Violinist, pianist, …..  Check it out and let me know what you think!If you want to follow all the latest DXPodcasts and YouTube releases, you should check out the DX Mentor Facebook pageand subscribe to be kept up to date on all of the DX activities. Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week! 

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.I can't believe that Christmas is only 40 days away. That means the CQWW CW contest is only 2 weeks away. For me, that is the pinnacle of contests for the year! Last year, I added 11 entities to my Marathon listing for 2024. I need that many and more this year to keep pace!Speaking of CQWW CW – remember that the week before and the week after a contest can really yield some great DX, much easier than it might be during the contest.Wow- was I surprised! I have had 11 listeners request the special 160M newsletter that our club put out. Last chance - you can get a copy as well by emailing me at thedxmentor@gmail.com. Each week I try to focus on those entities that will be available in the next 7 days. There is so much data to sift through that I thought a focus on the next week might be helpful Here is what you should find QRV when you tune the bands. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comHK0/A - San Andres and Providencia The Spanish operators EA7BF, EA7FPG, EA7JW, and EA7ATX have been granted licenses and official authorization by the Colombian Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (MinTIC) to operate from San Andres Island under the call sign 5J0EA. The scheduled dates are November 20th to 30th, 2025. All equipment has been prepared and is ready for shipment. The team, though small, possesses considerable infrastructure. Operations are planned to commence on November 20th, with final updates expected to be communicated several days prior to the start date.8R - Guyana PY1SAD, Aldir, is back in Guyana and QRV once again from Georgetown as 8R1TM until December 7. During the week listen for him on CW, SSB and digital modes on 1.8 through 50 MHz between 2300 and 0200Z. Over the weekends watch for him to be on more often. QSL direct to PY1SAD, via LoTW, QRZ or eQSL.S2 - BangladeshS21ACP tells us he is excited for the upcoming "Sundarbans DXPedition, Bangladesh 2025." It should currently be QRV until November 17, from what he says is "the world's largest mangrove forest," and a UNESCO World Heritage site, "The Sundarbans," in the Khulna Range, Sundarbans West Forest Division." It is grid NL42sl and POTA ID: BD-0051. The Amateur Radio Club Khulna is organizing with young operators S21SRK, S21ACP, S21CMD and S21AKL. They plan SSB and FT8 with three rigs, one high power, two QRP, to a Yagi, multiband "cobweb" and a fan dipole. 5V7RU, Togo Togo, 5V7RU, is QRV through November 19, with RA1ZZ, Vasily, and R9LR, Vlad operating. This will be a holiday style operation, on HF CW, SSB,FT8, and the QO-100 satellite, with a focus on 160 and 80M. Direct OQRS requests and all donors will receive a fast LoTW confirmation. Paper QSLs will be via Club Log OQRS with donations of US$10 or more. The DX Mentor features a new Podcast episode this coming weekend – a discussion with young op, Pia, DL7PIA. Pia is one of the youngest hams to win the CQ Marathon contest in Europe in 2024. She is also an accomplished contester, POTA operator, Violinist, pianist, ….. Check it out and let me know what you think!If you want to follow all the latest DX Podcasts and YouTube releases, you should check out the DX Mentor Facebook page and subscribe to be kept up to date on all of the DX activities.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.I had mentioned previously that our DX club, the Southwest Ohio DX association, had just published a special edition of the October newsletter dedicated to 160M. Scott, N4JN, Dave, K3BQ, and Ken, NS7V, each dropped me a note and are now reading the newsletter. You can get a copy as well by emailing me at thedxmentor@gmail.com. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com9U - Burundi We have now been QRV for 4.5 days running up to 10 HP stations 6m - 160m.  Per our 9U1RU Club Log Expedition chart: https://clublog.org/charts/?c=9U1RU#r,  we are currently at43,500 QSOs from this mountainside QTH 2,340m ASL.  All operators are doing well and in great spirits with the focus on achieving team objectives. Please keep in mind that the plan for the 9U1RU DXPedition calls for us to be QRV until November 20. Please consult our website for additional information: https://www.rudxt.org/9u1ru 8R- GuyanaPY1SAD, Aldir, is back in Guyana and QRV once again from Georgetown as 8R1TM until December 7. During the week listen for him on CW, SSB and digital modes on 1.8 through 50 MHz between 2300 and 0200Z. Over the weekends watch for him to be on more often. QSL direct to PY1SAD, via LoTW, QRZ or eQSL. CP- Bolivia Members of the YaguaretÇ DX Group have announced their plans to go back to Tarija (grid locator FG87pl), Bolivia as CP7DX from October 31 to November 10. They plan to be active on 160, 80, 60, 40, 20, 15, 12 and 10 meters. QSL via LU1FM. TL - Central African RepublicTJ1GD, Darek, began operating TL8GD on Saturday November 1.  Over the weekend he was reported on 20, 15, 10 meters FT8.  Darek plans to be QRV in his spare time on HF on FT8, FT4, SSB and CW until the end of the month.  QSL via LoTW and Club Log. 4K- AzerbaijanCalls 4K8N and 4J8N will be in use for"Victory Day," QRV to November 15. The actual day is November 8.  This is for the "2020 Patriotic War," a 44-day campaign where Azerbaijan's Army retook their historical boundaries from 30 years earlier.  As seen in the news, Azerbaijan and Armenia made peace recently.  QSLs for this operation, they say it is paper QSLs direct only. 5V- Togo 5V7RU is QRV until November 19, with RA1ZZ and R9LR operating.  They say it is unrelated to the 2022 operation under that callsign.  This will be holiday style, using HF CW, SSB, FT8 and the QO-100 satellite, with a focus on 160 and 80. Direct OQRS requests and all donors will get a fast LoTW confirmation.  Paper QSLs will be Club Log OQRS with donations of 10 USD or more.  Log corrections and questions are via ra1zz@mail.ru 7Q- Malawi Upon reviewing his 6-meter 7Q6M log, Don (K6ZO) notes that, based on historical propagation data, conditions on the Magic Band are likely to be favorable for openings between Malawi and North America in the coming days. On Monday, 7Q5BM was heard on 6 meters FT8 in the central and eastern US between 1340 and 1800Z. North American operators should monitor for this opening. Gerry Hull (W1VE) will operate remotely as 7Q2T on 6M CW at 50.090 MHz, self-spotting on the DX network, typically between 1500 and 1900Z, although activity will depend on the reliability of AC power in Embangweni. S2,BANGLADESHThe Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has officially granted special authorization for the upcoming DXPedition program to be held at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sundarbans, from 11–17 November 2025. All radio operations during this period will be conducted under the special event callsign S21SDX. QSL via I8KHC.

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for yourweekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.Each week I try to focus on those entities that will be available in the next 7 days. There is so much data to sift through that I thought a focus on the next week might be helpful. Here is what you should find QRV when you tune the bands. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comWe have a 6O3T - Somalia Update -   “Good morning, everyone, we'd like to thank you all for the affection and patience you've shown towards our 6O operation. Despite the high noise level, we're moving forward with great personal satisfaction, sometimes at the expense of the usual CW/SSB modes, but often it's a necessary choice. We're enjoying good openings on the 6 meters band toward Europe, around 11:00 GMT, with a few shorter ones toward Asia as well. In the afternoon, around 15:00 GMT, the SIX band will open again. We've been transmitting for the second night in a row on 80 and have logged several nice QSOs. In the coming days, we'll likely make some tests on 160m, though without too many expectations.Finally, we've been receiving many emails about call corrections and typing errors, our apologies, but this is not the right time. All such requests will be handled once we're back home.” ThebPJ6Y Adventure is QRTAfter an amazing weekend participating inbCQWW SSB 2025, the PJ6Y adventure is coming to a close. Our Young Operators team achieved an incredible milestone — over 55,000 QSOs! “On behalf of the PJ6Y 2025 team, I would like to thank all of you who took the time to work us,” said Gregg, W6IZT. A special thanks goes out to our sponsors and supporters — this expedition would not have been possible without your generous help and encouragement. 5R, MADAGASCAR The Italian Dxpedition Team led by Silvano, I2YSB announce a new activity from Madagascar until November 12 as 5R8TT utilizing CW, SSB, and RTTY and as 5R8XX on FT8. A team will be operating with 4 stations from 160 to 6 meters. QSL via I2YSB. https://www.i2ysb.com/idt/ 9L, SIERRA LEONE  The ex-3C2MD managed to plan another DXPedition as 9L8MD until November 10. The team will be active as 9L8MD from 160 to 6 metres using CW, SSB, RTTY. QSL via IK2VUC. 9U, BURUNDI  Members of the Russian DX Team with Vasily R7AL as team leader will be active as 9U1RU until November 20. Plan is to be active with 7 stations from 160 to 6 meters using high power. QSL via Club Log. https://www3rudxt.org/9u1ru Z6,KOSOVO  Look for S58MU and S50X as Z66IPA until November3. They will be operating from 160 to 10 meters. QSL for all calls via S58MU. VU4, ANDAMAN ISL  The World DXPedition team will be QRV until November7 from 3 POTA locations. ‘Needless to say, the support of corporate and private sponsors are essential to make this DXPedition a success. The Team priority will be to make as many QSOs as possible and offer the highest exposure as possible for sponsors. Corporate or Club sponsors (donating $1,000 or more in cash or equipment) will be recognized on our QSL cards and website. '  The DX Mentor features a new Podcast episode this coming weekend – The Yasme foundation and the great contributions of Ward Silver, N0AX. Check it out and let me know what you think!If you want to follow all the latest DX Podcasts and YouTube releases, you should check out the DX Mentor Facebook page and subscribe to be kept up to date on all of the DX activities.If you would like a copy of the special SWODXA Newsletter for October that has over 100 pages of articles about 160M, just drop me a line and I will send it to you.   Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week! 

Hello and Welcome to the DX Corner for your weekly Dose of DX. I'm Bill, AJ8B.Each week I try to focus on those entities that will be available in the next 7 days. There is so much data to sift through that I thought a focus on the next week might be helpful. Here is what you should find QRV when you tune the bands. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of theDailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com As a reminder VE7BV, Dwight, is QRV from Guatemala where he is operating holiday style as TG9BBV until October 25. Activity is on CW, SSB, and FT8 on 7 through 50 MHz. QSL direct or via the bureau to VE7BV and LoTW. The Rebel DX Group is QRV from Niue as E6AD. For the first weeks, the emphasis will be FT4 and MSHV SuperFox.  The entire operation will emphasize digital and CW, with a "little SSB as well." A multi-national team will be on the air from Gingerbread Hill in St Peter's on Montserrat for the CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest. They still have 1-3 operating positions open. Most of the team will be there from October 22-28, with Irina and Ralf staying a few more days afterwards. During the contest they will be operating VP2MPN on 80 through 10 meters as a multi-op effort. QSL VP2MPN via KB4YPN and eventually LoTW. Station 7Q1A will be QRV from Malawi between October 18-24, CW and digital and the CQ WW DX SSB Contest with two or more stations.  Ops say they will have veterans and fresh energy of a new generation, "the future of our hobby."  QSL direct to 7Q7CT or use LoTW or QRZ Logbook. https://www.qrz.com/db/7Q1A The DXObsessed team is preparing for their 2025 FW5K DXPedition to Wallis Island.The group is excited about the trip, with all members packing and finalizing logistics. Team members will depart from Arizona and Oregon, meeting in Dallas, Texas, before flying to Nadi, Fiji, then onward to Wallis Island. Arrival is scheduled for 2:25 PM on Saturday, October 18, 2025, local time. Gregg, W6IZT, reports that the PJ6Y team (https://pj6y2025.com/) is enroute and will rendezvous in St. Martin early this afternoon before boarding the short flight to Saba. The entire team is very excited to arrive on the island. Thanks to everyone for your continued support — we look forward to seeing you in the pileups! The D2A DXPedition to Angola, QRV until October 28, consists of Portuguese and Spanish operators commemorating Angola's 50th anniversary of independence. QSL via EA7FTR.  The 5KØUA DXPedition team will arrive on San Andrés Island between October 15-20 and expects to be on the air October 20-30. They will leave the island November 3. They plan to operate 160-10M CW, SSB, and FT8, and will be in the CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB. Before and after the contest, they will conduct “regular DX activity.” QSL using LoTW or Club Log OQRS.  Phill remains active as C21TS from Nauru until the end of November, then he will be QRT for 2 months and back starting from February 2026. ‘I'll probably be back for a few months from February 2026 with minimal gear, probably just FT-891. Hard finish will be June 2026 and no later.' QSL via M0OXO OQRS or LoTW. Maurizio, IK2GZU is QRV again as 5H3MB from Tanzania until November 20. He returns as a volunteer in the Ikelu hospital in the South Highlands. He will be operating is his spare time on HF using CW, SSB and digi. QSL via home call, LoTW, Club Log. Luc, F5RAV, is QRV from The Gambia as C5R until October 31. Following on from previous visit where money was raised to build a new classroom for infants, the plan this time is build two more classrooms and to start a radio club to introduce YOTA.   Until next week, this is Bill, AJ8B saying 73 and thanks to my XYL Karen for her love and support. I Hope to hear you in the pileups! Have a great DX week!

Foundations of Amateur Radio The other day I came across an article written by programmer, artist, and game designer "blinry" with the intriguing title: "Fifty Things you can do with a Software Defined Radio". Documenting a weeks' worth of joyous wandering through the radio spectrum it explains in readily accessible terms how they used an RTL-SDR dongle to explore the myriad radio transmissions that surround us all day and every day. As you might know, I've been a radio amateur since 2010 and I must confess, even with all the things I've done and documented here, there's plenty in this adventure guide that I've yet to attempt. For example, when was the last time you decoded the various sub-carriers in an FM broadcast signal, including the pilot tone, the stereo signal, station meta and road traffic information? Have you ever decoded the 433 MHz sensor signals that your neighbours might have installed, weather, security and other gadgets? Or decoded shipping data, transmitted using AIS, or Automatic Identification System, and for context, we're only up to item 12 on the list. One of the biggest takeaways for me was that this is something that is accessible to anyone, and is a family friendly introduction to the world of radio that amateurs already know and love. The article touches on various applications that you might use to explore the highways and byways of the radio spectrum, including SDR++, SDRangel, WSJT-X, QSSTV, and even mentions GNU Radio. With enough detail to whet the appetite, I learned that SDRangel, developed by Edouard F4EXB and 70 other contributors, has all manner of interesting decoders built-in, like ADS-B, Stereo FM, RDS, DAB, AIS, weather balloon telemetry, APRS, even VOR. As it happens, you don't even need to install SDRangel to get going. Head on over to sdrangel.org and click on "websdr" and it'll launch right in your browser. Once you're up and running, you can use your RTL-SDR dongle to start your own small step into the wide world of radio, amateur or not. Sadly the PlutoSDR does not work on the experimental web version, so I had to install SDRangel locally. That said, I did get it to run and connect to my PlutoSDR which worked out of the box. The user tutorial is online and the Quick-Start walks you through the process of getting the software installed and running. One thing that eluded me for way too long is the notion of channel decoders. Essentially you configure the receiver, in my case a PlutoSDR, and start it running. You'll be able to change frequency and see the waterfall display, but nothing else happens, and there's no obvious AM, FM or other mode buttons you'd find on a traditional radio. Instead, you'll need to add a channel decoder, cunningly disguised as a triangle with circles at the corners with a little plus symbol at the top. You'll find it immediately to the left of your device name. When you click it, you're presented with a list of channel decoders, which you can add to the work space. This will do the work of actually decoding the signal that's coming into the software. SDRangel also supports M17, FreeDV, RTTY, FT8 and plenty of other amateur modes, and includes the ability to transmit. Oh, did I mention, it can also connect to remote kiwisdr receivers? I have to say, it's a joy to see software that I've previously looked at and admittedly shied away from, actually doing something with the radio spectrum around me. I will confess that SDRangel has a lot of moving parts and it's like sendmail, user friendly, just picky whom it makes friends with. So, time to dig in, play around and bring it to the next amateur radio field day "Show and Tell" and share with the general public just how interesting the radio spectrum around us can be. I'm going to work my way through the 50 items, just for giggles. What are you waiting for? I'm Onno VK6FLAB

Join us as we dive into operating FT8 from a state park for Parks on the Air (POTA)! Perfect for ham radio enthusiasts and POTA activators looking to master FT8 in a portable setting. Don't miss expert tips, gear recommendations, and real-time QSO footage! #POTA #FT8 #HamRadio #parksontheairDonate to ARRL Teacher's Institute: https://arrl.org/30daysEquipment in this video:ICOM IC-705 - https://amzn.to/3UYZsMQArmoloq Cage for 705 - https://armoloq.com/icom/ic-705/Panasonic Toughpad: https://amzn.to/485kQYiBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ham-radio-2-0--2042782/support.

Foundations of Amateur Radio One of the many challenges associated with being a radio amateur is actually being able to listen to weak signals. If you're like me and more than half the planet, you live in an urban area, which comes with the benefits and pitfalls of having neighbours. From a radio perspective, there's plenty of noise that drowns out weak signals, so more and more amateurs are finding new and interesting ways to deal with this. Over the years I've talked plenty about so-called web-sdr, or internet accessible software defined radios. Essentially a radio receiver, preferably in a radio quiet area, hooked up to some software that allows you to listen in using a web browser. There's thousands of internet based services across the globe, the most popular of those are websdr.org and kiwisdr.com. As a new amateur you might have visited one or more of these and tuned around to listen to various radio stations and QSOs or contacts between amateurs, on bands that you can't access because you don't have the gear, or frequencies that are drowned out locally by your neighbour's pool pump, air conditioner, LED lighting, solar power inverter, television, motor home, cycle, or whatever else they seem to have an endless supply of behind closed doors. As a crusty amateur, and after about 15 years, I'm probably one of those, you might have started experimenting with building your own, or you might be blissfully unaware of these internet marvels. Either way, one restriction you run into is the ability to do anything other than listen. You might get the option to pick between Upper and Lower Side Band, or AM, sometimes even FM, but generally that's your lot. This means that trying to use such a tool to decode WSPR, or FT8, or RTTY, CW, PSK31, or whatever else takes your fancy becomes a challenge. It occurred to me that if you're able to capture the raw signal from a web browser, you could feed that into your decoder of choice. It would also mean that you wouldn't need any local hardware to start playing. Before you get all hot and bothered like I did. This is a non-trivial process that several others have attempted to wade through with varying levels of success. Much of the documentation I've discovered revolves around virtual audio cables and loop back software, and even the idea that you physically plug your computer's speaker output into your line input, or even hold a microphone up to your speakers. Aside from the lack of elegance associated with such contraptions, they require that you install all manner of weird software, and in many cases deal with permissions, since microphones are generally locked for good privacy reasons. Prompted by the webserial tool by Phil VK7JJ, it occurred to me that if we can talk to actual physical hardware within a web browser, then we can probably use a web browser as an audio source for local decoding software. Before you start hunting for the source code, there is none. I've spent the past few days playing around and although I made a waterfall display inside GNU Radio that used the audio from websdr.org, the results were not amazing, and I created a proof of concept by using a tool called BlackHole on the Macintosh I was using at the time. It's essentially doing shenanigans with audio mapping, not something which I really want to do, but it gives me a pretty picture, or not, as the case may be. More interesting is the progress being made over in the KiwiSDR community, where there is already an I/Q button, in other words, the raw data needed for processing further down the line. I came across projects that link the KiwiSDR to other tools, but it's unclear if that's the hardware, or the web client, I suspect it's the hardware, but I might be mistaken. If you're not sure what this might mean, think about listening to the same frequency at the same time across the globe using multiple web browser tabs, and comparing the signals in real time, or decoding them, or using them for comparing signal strengths, or propagation, or any number of things that are currently only possible with a vast network of radios under your own control. If you need to nerd out on the technicalities, the idea is that if you can access an SDR via a web browser, it would be cool if we could decode the stream coming back without needing to install software on the computer. There appear to be tools that do this kind of thing to get the audio into "ffmpeg". If that's gobbledegook to you, ffmpeg is a tool that allows you to do all kinds of cool stuff with audio and video. Using something called WASM, or webassembly, it's possible to link web browser audio to ffmpeg. I suspect it's possible to use the same mechanism to send audio to GNU Radio, or any other decoder, for processing. There also appears to be a thing called a Web Audio API AudioBuffer where the raw audio gets sent to, so perhaps that's accessible in some way. The point being, that I think this is doable, so much so, that I suspect that someone already did this. If you know of anything that fits the bill, let me know. In case you're wondering, this is tangentially linked to the Bald Yak project I've been working on, mainly because I need incoming RF into my shack and my HF antenna situation at present is really not up to the task, urbanite and all. I'm Onno VK6FLAB

There are many ham radio myths, and let's take a look at them and see if we can bust some of them. Are there only grumpy old men? Is CW better than FT8? Is [insert mode here] killing ham radio? This and much more.Also, it's July, so expect more tangents and stuff off topic than usual.TEHRS is:@labcat73 @LB4FH @LB0FI @LB5JJ @AH6UN_OE4JHW #amateurradio #hamradio #amateurfunk

It's time for another episode of TEHRSOTA. Catch us on the air with FT8 or similar, and we'll send you a nice PDF certificate.TEHRS is: @labcat73 @LB4FH @LB0FI @radiohyperactivity @AH6UN_OE4JHW #hamradio #amateurradio #amateurfunk

Ron Demcko, WA2TBQ, found his way into electronics—and later amateur radio—thanks to the early influence of his older brother, John, KD7JR. From a young age, Ron funded his growing passion for kit building and radio experimentation by buying and reselling surplus electronic gear, a resourceful start that helped pave the way for his formal education. Today, Ron is a recognized expert in the field of radiation-resistant passive components, essential for military and space applications. On the air, CW remains his favorite mode. We cover all of this and much more in this episode of QSO Today.

Bob Pantazes, W2ARP, discovered amateur radio in high school but only became licensed at age 40. A career in electronics shaped his hands-on approach to amateur radio. With 296 DXCC entities, Bob is active in contesting, POTA - Parks on the Air, and antenna building. He advocates FT8 access for Technicians on HF  to attract younger hams and grow our numbers the hobby. W2ARP is my QSO Today.