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PY2BIL > ARNR 23.01.90 15:30l 349 Lines 15806 Bytes #-12849 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2517 for Friday, January 23rd,
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Sent: 260123/1118 @:PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM Sally 7.4.0 $:100915PY2BIL
From: PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2517 for Friday, January 23rd, 2026
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2517 with a release date of Friday,
January 23rd, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. A severe solar radiation storm disrupts HF
communication. US lawmakers propose restoring funds to Voice of America --
and in New Zealand, Q-codes are on the move! All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2517 comes your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
LEVEL S4 SOLAR RADIATION STORM DISRUPTS HF COMMUNICATION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is the most severe solar radiation
storm in more than 20 years. It began on Monday, January 19th and lasted
through much of the week. The National Weather Service declared the storm to
be at an S4 level - a degree of severity not seen since October of 2023. S4
is the second highest level of this type of storm.
The storm's severity, which exceeded that of the one in October of 2023,
disrupted the HF bands, challenging ham radio operators, while creating
spectacular auroral displays.
(SPACE.COM, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, LIVE SCIENCE)
**
US LAWMAKERS AGREE TO RESTORE VOA FUNDING
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A bipartisan agreement among US lawmakers could restore the
government's financial support of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and
other federally funded news services. Kent Peterson KCØDGY has that story.
KENT: US lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have reached a deal that would fund
the Voice of America, giving its parent organization, the US Agency for
Global Media, an estimated 53 million. That figure is considerably lower
than the annual (sal4.0)60 million provided previously to the agency.
As described on the Radio World website, the funds would also pay for
restoration of operations for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free
Asia. A minimum of ABFSL2HM$0 million is earmarked for medium- and shortwave
programming by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
The deal is part of a larger spending bill, the National Security Department
of State and Related Programs Appropriations Act. It has the support of both
parties in Congress and its funding plan goes against the White House's
executive order from last year which shut the international news services.
Even if the measure receives final approval from the House and Senate, it
will still require the president's signature.
This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.
(RADIO WORLD)
**
ARTEMIS 2 ROCKET ROLLS OUT ONTO LAUNCH PAD
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: NASA's Artemis 2 mission began its long-awaited journey to
the moon and back on Saturday, the 17th of January, with the rocket's rollout
onto the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three of the four
astronauts who will be aboard have their amateur radio licenses. Travis Lisk,
N3ILS, tells us what's next.
TRAVIS: If all goes well, astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover,
KI5BKC, Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, and Christina Koch, could be poised for
liftoff as soon as early February on the Artemis 2 test flight. Though the
crew won't be touching down on the moon's surface, the test flight's 10-day
journey will establish a path for an eventual longer human presence on the
moon. In fact, it will be a springboard, in a manner of speaking, to send the
first NASA astronauts to Mars. By the time the quartet splashes down in the
Pacific Ocean, their journey will have taken them the farthest from Earth
that any crewed mission has ventured.
This will be the first human spaceflight to the moon in more than 50 years.
Last year, the US space agency asked hams with the necessary capabilities to
observe the Doppler shift on the spacecraft's S-band return link carrier
signal. The spacecraft's S-band range is between 2200 and 2290 MHz.
Volunteers will not be transmitting or uplinking signals.
This is Travis Lisk NILS.
(NASA, SPACE.COM, ARS TECHNICA)
**
CABLE DAMAGE SPURS MORE TAIWANESE TO BECOME HAMS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Determined to preserve Taiwan’s citizens' ability to
communicate despite ongoing damage to underwater Internet cables, many
Taiwanese are pursuing the wireless option of amateur radio. John Williams
VK4JJW brings us the details.
JOHN: Last summer, a court in Taiwan gave a three-year prison sentence to the
Chinese captain of a ship registered in Togo after he was convicted of
deliberately damaging Taiwan’s underwater cables.
Though that high-profile case in the justice system appeared to settle one
incident, Taiwan remains challenged by such ongoing damage, which cuts the
island off from the rest of the world. Taiwan is also embroiled in ongoing
tensions with Beijing, which claims the self-ruled territory as its own.
Recent media reports say that amateur radio is being seen as Taiwan’s
wireless workaround to maintaining connectivity. A civil defence group there
has been providing ham radio instruction to prepare candidates for their
operating licences. Although there is already an amateur radio presence in
Taiwan, represented by the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League, these newest
candidates are pursuing licensed status especially because of the damage
being done to the cables. Their hope is to be able to step in and maintain
communications if Taiwan is cut off from the Internet. More than 90 percent
of Taiwan’s Internet traffic is carried by 15 international and 10 domestic
communication cables.
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(KB6NU BLOG, DW.COM, WIA)
**
SILENT KEY'S RIG DONATED TO ASSIST AMERICAN RED CROSS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The American Red Cross has many powerful tools in its
repertoire to assist communities in distress - and now, in Flagstaff,
Arizona, it is about to add amateur radio. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us
about it.
RALPH: The legacy of Silent Key Jack Lunsford, NT7MM, is going to help save
lives. Jack, who had been a member of the Northern Arizona DX Association,
became a Silent Key at the age of 94 in December of 2024. His daughter
presented his beloved Kenwood radio to the DX Association, hoping it would
continue its mission of communication and good will.
Bob Wertz, NF7E, the association president, has ensured that this will
happen: He has donated the radio to the American Red Cross office in
Flagstaff for use by licensed amateurs among the staff and volunteers.
Denny Preisser, KC3DTB, a Red Cross recruitment specialist for the region,
acknowledged the gift, saying in a press release: [quote] “Ham radio provides
emergency broadcasts when everything is down. They are more powerful than
portable radios and can be used to communicate around the globe. Lately,
there has been a resurgence of ham radios with wildfires and other
disasters.ö [endquote]
This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
(AMERICAN RED CROSS)
**
NOMINATION WINDOW CLOSES SOON FOR HAMVENTION AWARDS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A short window of time remains to nominate candidates for
this year's awards to be presented at Hamvention. The categories are Amateur
Radio Club of the Year, Amateur Radio Operator of the Year, Technical
Achievement and Special Achievement.
The Club of the Year award honors organizations that demonstrate commitment
to their community and society. The Operator of the Year acknowledges active
amateurs who are also active contributors to the amateur community-at-large
and its future. The Technical Achievement award recognizes hams whose
inventions, experiments or other related accomplishments have improved ham
radio. The Special Achievement Award honors an individual who has shown, over
the years, a commitment to professionalism, service and advancement of ham
radio in general.
Nomination forms can be found on the Hamvention website at hamvention.org.
You will also find details about supporting documentation that is required.
The nomination period closes on the 10th of February.
(JAMES GIFFORD, N8KET; HAMVENTION)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W9MID
repeater of the Mid-State Amateur Radio Club in Greenwood, Indiana at 7 p.m.
local time.
**
INDIAN HAMS PROVIDE SAFETY NET AT HINDU PILGRIMAGE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Through the years, amateur radio operators have become as
much a fixture at one of India’s major religious gatherings as the thousands
of pilgrims themselves - and for a very good, lifesaving reason. Jason
Daniels VK2LAW explains.
JASON: The Gangasagar Mela, the week-long Hindu pilgrimage that takes place
each January where the Bay of Bengal meets the Ganges River, is a sacred time
for millions throughout India. The crowd size makes it a perilous time as
well: A man suffered a stroke, a toddler became separated in the crowd from
her mother and the father of a teenager nearly drowned, according to news
reports.
Members of the West Bengal Radio Club, who have been a steady presence at the
Mela for many years, are deployed with their radios into the crowd,
connecting with a central hub. To successfully find the toddler’s mother, a
trio of radio operators shared a photo of the 3-year-old with others and
reached out to an amateur radio operator in the family’s hometown in
Bangladesh for additional information.
In another instance, a teenage girl said her father had not returned from his
visit to the shore of the island, prompting the hams to conduct a search.
They got in touch with the on-site health centre and learned that he had been
transported there after nearly drowning earlier in the day in the shallow
waters surrounding the island.
The hams were also able to reassure the family of a 64-year-old stroke
patient. They contacted his family to let him know he required medical
assistance and had been airlifted to Kolkata for treatment.
This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.
(THE STATESMAN, TIMES OF INDIA)
**
ORGANIZERS SCOUTING FOR SITE FOR 2030 WRTC
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Competitors and volunteers are getting ready for the 2026
World Radiosport Team Championship in July, but organizers are also looking a
bit farther down the road - to 2030. Graham Kemp VK4BB has those details.
GRAHAM: A competition of sorts is taking place among would-be hosts for the
2030 World Radiosport Team Championship -- and the organisation's Sanctioning
Committee has set a deadline of the 15th of February to receive letters of
intent. The letters should include the proposed time frame and location, the
estimated budget with fund-raising plan, and identify the officers and
organising committee.
Letters of intent - or questions about the host-selection process - should be
sent to DougK1DG at gmail dot com. (dougk1dg@gmail.com)
The committee would like to announce the next host during the closing
ceremony of WRTC2026 in July in the UK.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(WRTC)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, listen for the special event callsign HI6ØUD [H EYE SIX
ZERO YOU DEE] which is on the air to mark the 60th anniversary of the second
oldest amateur radio club in the Dominican Republic, the Union Dominicana de
Radioaficionados. Operators are on the HF bands using SSB and the digital
modes through to the 31st of January. Preferred QSL is via LoTW but direct
and eQSL will be accepted
Chas, NK8O, is on the air as 5H3DX from Tanzania [PRON: TAN ZAN EAR] until
the 9th of February, operating CW and using the digital modes on 20 through
10 metres. If conditions permit, he will also be on 6 metres.
Alex, IW5ELA is active holiday style as 8Q7EL from the Maldives, IOTA Number
AS-013, until the 27th of January, using mainly CW on various HF bands.
Listen for Aldir, PY1SAD, on the air through to the 23rd of February as 8R1TM
from Guyana. He is using CW, SSB and digital modes on 160-6 metres. He is
also operating via satellite during the week from 23.00 to 03.00 UTC and
more frequently during the weekends.
See the QRZ.om pages for these three stations for QSL and additional
information.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: MOTORISTS QUEUE UP FOR "Q" CODES
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Finally, here's our last story for this week. This one, which
originates in New Zealand, has been patiently waiting in queue. Or is that
"waiting in Q," as in the letter Q? Actually, both are correct - because this
story is about Q-signals - but it's also about cars, and Jim Meachen Zed L 2
BHF is here to give us a cue - or is that a clue?
JIM: No doubt you've been on the air and heard QSL, QSO and QRZ. If you check
into any nets, you have also likely met up with QNC, QNI and QNF -- but have
you ever encountered any of these while driving? Here in New Zealand, our
cars don't just have turn signals - they have Q-signals.
David, ZL2WT, recently reported to Neil ZL1NZ, the NZ-Net News net manager,
that he's been seeing more and more vehicles with plates that are sporting
all kinds of Q-signals. That's because New Zealand, which issues three
letters and three numerals to each of its newly registered vehicles, does so
in alphabetical order. Not quite two years ago, the system began issuing
plates with the letter "Q."
A busy radio operator, David is always on the alert for a QRZ -- but when
recently spotted one while he was taking a walk, he wasn't operating
pedestrian mobile. It was on the plate of a car at a nearby QTH. Sadly, he
didn't find a QTH -- at least not one that was on a car. He was ready to
locate a QRV, however -- and he did -- parked not far from his own QTH.
David told Newsline that the worst Q code any car can receive is "QSD." An
enthusiastic CW operator, he knows that it means: "your keying is
defective." He told Newsline: "I would not own a vehicle with that number
plate."
Now....I'm not driving but it's time for me to put the brakes on anyway. Time
to go QRT.
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(NEIL, ZL1NZ; DAVID, ZL2WT; NZ NET NEWS)
**
Are you ready to write a ham radio haiku? It's easy - even if you've never
written a single line of poetry in your life. Visit our website at
arnewsline.org and as you compose your ode to your favorite on-the-air
activity, we will help you use the correct number of syllables to make an
authentic haiku. Submit your work and then sit back and wait to hear whether
your inspired haiku will be highlighted on our website, where everyone can
read it.
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to American Red Cross; Ars Technica; David, ZL2WT; David Behar,
K7DB; DW.com; DX News; 425DX Bulletin; Hamvention; James Gifford, N8KET;
KB6NU Blog; LiveScience; NASA; National Weather Service; Neil, ZL1NZ; NZ Net
News; QRZ.com Forums; RadioWorld; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; The
Statesman; Times of India; Wireless Institute of Australia; WRTC; and you our
listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our
listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit
organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to
support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we
appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our
newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our
news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening. We wish all our listeners the very best
for the year ahead in 2026. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2026.
Amateur Radio Newsline retains ownership of its material even when
retransmitted elsewhere. All rights are reserved.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 23-Jan-2026 11:18 E. South America Standard Time
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