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Ärende: AR Newsline 2492 01 Aug 2025
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2492 for Friday, August 1st, 2025
  
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2492 with a release date of Friday, August
1st, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A worldwide response to broadband satellite's proposed
use of the ham bands. New callsigns in Sweden and India -- and HamTV is back on
the air! All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2492 comes
your way right now.

** 
BILLBOARD CART

**
INT'L RESPONSE TO FCC FILING FOR HAM RADIO FREQUENCIES

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where the FCC has been
receiving filings from individuals and groups speaking out in response to the
proposed use of amateur frequencies by a broadband communications business. The
response has gathered international momentum, as we hear from Jeremy Boot
G4NJH.

JEREMY: Several International Amateur Radio Union societies and more than 2,000
individuals have filed their concerns with the US Federal Communications
Commission over a request by a US broadband communications company' to use
frequencies between 430 and 440 MHz for a planned constellation of 240
commercial satellites.

AST SpaceMobile was recently approved for the use of the amateur radio band on
an experimental basis for a low-earth orbit satellite known as FM1, which is
the prototype for the company's planned mobile phone connectivity from space.
The FCC has assigned the callsign WP2XRX, which expires on 1st July, 2027.

The Texas-based company, a rival of SpaceX, is developing its network in
association with AT&T and Verizon. SpaceX is partnering with T-Mobile.

The Radio Society of Great Britain, referring on its website to its own filing
to the FCC, said that the company's proposal for its constellation has stirred
[quote] "an unprecedented response from the amateur radio community."
[endquote]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RSGB, FCC) 

**
INDIA, SWEDEN INTRODUCE NEW CALLSIGN SUFFIXES, PREFIXES

JIM/ANCHOR: If you've been listening around on the bands during the past few
months, you may have heard some new personal callsigns on the air that have
very different prefixes or suffixes - with good reason. Jason Daniels VK2LAW
explains what's going on.

JASON: Hams who'd made contact with radio operators in India or Sweden - or who
have perhaps just heard them on the air - have been hearing these operators
identify themselves with callsigns that, until this year, did not exist. In
India, newly licensed amateur stations have been assigned new suffixes since
the 25th of June. Although the existing, older callsign forms have not changed,
new General Grade licenses, which are assigned a VU2 prefix, now get a
combination of numbers and letters, creating callsigns such as VU22DX or
VU29AR. Likewise, Restricted Grade licenses, which are assigned a VU3 prefix,
are receiving suffixes of two numbers and three letters, creating callsigns
such as VU33ABS.

Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, the assistant director of the National Institute of Amateur
Radio, told Newsline that the changes are a direct result of ham radio's growth
in India. He wrote, in an email: [quote] "These new prefixes are a practical
measure to accommodate the increasing number of amateur radio enthusiasts in
India by expanding the available callsign combinations while still adhering to
the country's internationally allocated prefix block." [endquote]

Meanwhile, in Sweden, amateurs who have received the new entry level class
certificate are identifying themselves with the country's new callsign prefix,
"SH." These amateurs can be heard on 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 metres, where they
are permitted to use a maximum of 25 watts of power.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(DX INDIA, QRZ,COM FORUMS, SWEDISH SOCIETY OF RADIO AMATEURS)

**
BOUVET ISLAND TEAM PACKS FOR 2026 TRIP

JIM/ANCHOR: The Bouvet Island 3Y?K team begins packing for the long trip
starting in August, hoping to complete this part of the preparation by the end
of September. According to their July 27th press release, equipment is being
shipped from Italy, Bulgaria and the US to Norway where the team plans to meet
later in Oslo for two workshops.

Activators expect to be on the island for at least 21 days. Their scheduled
departure date from Cape Town South Africa is the 1st of February, 2026. The
team is still looking for additional operators. For details, send an email to
admin dot 3 WHY ZERO DOT EN OH [admin@3y0.no.]

(DX WORLD)

**
MEXICAN STATION HONORS HAM RADIO'S PATRON SAINT

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams embrace the story of one Catholic friar's ultimate sacrifice
in a World War II concentration camp. This martyr, who became the patron saint
of amateur radio, is being honored throughout August, as we hear from Jim
Davis, W2JKD.

JIM: In 1938, a Franciscan friar named Maximillian Kolbe began shortwave radio
broadcasts from his homebuilt station in a monastery to share his words of
faith during a troubled time in the world  Three years later, he was a prisoner
of the Nazis in Auschwitz. On the 14th of August, 1941, he traded his own life
to save that of a doomed Polish army sergeant. Maximilian Kolbe, SP3RN, was
declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1982 - and is considered the
patron saint of amateur radio.

The days surrounding August 14th have grown to be important ones for more than
a decade at the San Max Church in Mexico where, with the help of a homebrew
rotating dipole installed at the church, hams from around the country team up
to call CQ using the special callsign 4A2MAX. The presence of the saint is
prominent at the church in more than just its given name and callsign. Some
relics that once belonged to him are housed in a small museum inside the church
building. The museum also displays some of the awards the amateurs have won
while operating in contests with this callsign as a way to pay tribute to St.
Maximillian. The operators are on the air this month from the 1st through to
the 31st using all modes on all HF bands through to the end of the month.

The station's operations manager, Chuy, XE2N/N5MEX, told Newsline [quote]: "We
want to celebrate what we love on the radio." [endquote]

This is Jim Davis W2JKD.

(CHUY, XE2N; QRZ.COM)

**
HAMTV BACK ON THE AIR FROM THE ISS

JIM/ANCHOR: The most popular digital amateur TV show in space is back and
better than ever. With its installation completed recently by ISS astronauts,
HamTV resumed its transmissions on Tuesday, the 29th of July. In Salisbury,
Southern England, Dave G8GKQ was among the happy radio operators to report to
the British Amateur TV Club that he had good copy during the first pass of the
ISS with HamTV turned on again. HamTV had been out of service since 2019, so
its welcome-back from Dave and other fans was clearly a warm one.

To see a live stream of HamTV when it is near the receiver stations, follow the
link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ:   https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/ ]

(BRITISH AMATEUR TV CLUB, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

**
FIELD DAY WAS 'MERIT BADGE DAY' FOR THEM

JIM/ANCHOR: Most of us remember the big weekend in June known as Field Day. For
14 Scouts who attended the activation with one ham club in Southern California,
it will always be remembered as Merit Badge Day. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB
explains.

RALPH: Operators with the San Fernando Valley Amateur Radio Club W6SD do a lot
of planning each year for Field Day but this year their plans included
something else for the first time - the inclusion of Scouts from Troop 415 who
were there to observe, learn about amateur radio and perhaps qualify for
scouting's Radio Merit Badge. Fourteen of them did just that - in a single day
- as they learned about radio communication and watched the hams make QSOs at
the activation site at the First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hills. Some of
the Scouts even experienced the thrill of HF by getting on the GOTA station -
the so-called "Get On The Air" station provided at many Field Day sites to
allow them to have a QSO or two under supervision of a licensed ham.

The Scouts had other inspiration to draw on too. Club secretary Bernard KG6FBM
told Newsline that one of the Scout's fathers, Eric Arevalo, KO6KFL, had just
received his Tech license after taking a class with Roozy, W1EH.

Bernard said the club is very proud of the Scouts, whose ages range from 11 to
17. As to whether a merit badge eventually leads to a license, Bernard said:
"Some scouts did show interest. Maybe someday they'll follow up."

(BERNARD FALKIN KG6FBM)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W4HPL
repeater in Cookeville, Tennessee on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. local time.

**
PAKISTAN HIKES RADIO-RELATED FEES

JIM/ANCHOR:  It's going to cost more for radio amateurs to get on the air in
Pakistan. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us up to date.

JIM:  Calling its existing fee structure outdated, Pakistan's government has
approved its first change to the fee structure for radio-based services in 25
years. More than 1,100 licence holders, including amateur radio operators and
private radio networks, are being affected by a fee hike. According to media
reports, fees remained unchanged until now despite Pakistan's inflation rising
by more than 700 percent.

Pakistan's amateur licence is initially issued for a one-year period but can be
renewed for a five-year period afterward. The fee is increasing from 450 rupees
to 5,000 rupees - or, in US currency, from $1.60 to $18 for the term of the
licence.

The change was approved in late July by the Economic Coordination Committee.
The ECC acted after being told by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority
that fees no longer cover the expenses for managing licenses and overseeing use
of the spectrum.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(DAWNTODAY.COM, PROFIT.PAKISTANTODAY.COM)

**
HAMS COACH INDIAN POLICE ON AMATEUR RADIO'S CRISIS ROLES

JIM/ANCHOR: Ham radio training for police officers? In India, it's considered
an essential tool, as we hear from John Williams VK4JJW.'

JOHN: In India, law enforcement personnel from the remote region of Darjeeling
and the coastal area of the Sunderbans joined with police in Kolkata for a
one-day session on how amateur radio can assist them when conventional
communications systems are compromised.

The regulations governing radio - and the technical side of operating - were
covered in the one-day session held on Friday the 25th of July in Kolkata. The
training was conducted by Jayanta Baidya VU2TFR, Arnab Roy Chowdhury VU2TFT and
Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA - all from the West Bengal Radio Club.

Remote regions of India can be particularly challenged when natural disasters
strike but even in the heart of a city like Kolkata, law enforcement has
concerns about how useful their radios are. The hams noted that high rise
buildings, such as those under construction in Kolkata, can interfere with the
wireless frequencies used by the police radios.

The seminar is the latest to be organised and hosted by the club, which often
does such training for law-enforcement personnel.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(MILLENNIUM POST)

**
SOUTH AFRICAN AWARDS SCHEME FOCUSES ON HERITAGE, HISTORY

JIM/ANCHOR: Lightwaves and radio waves have much in common - perhaps most
notably the fact that they share a home on different parts of the same
spectrum. In South Africa, however, a popular operating awards scheme unites
light and amateur radio in a very different way. Graham Kemp VK4BB explains
now.

GRAHAM: HOTA - an awards programme that originated with the Bo-Karoo Amateur
Radio Club in South Africa - has its origins as Heliographs on the Air. The
original concept, credited to Jannie Smith, ZS3CM, was to encourage amateur
radio operators to activate sites where members of the military once sent coded
messages to the troops by reflecting sunlight off mirrors. Other club members
soon expanded the programme?s scope to focus on a broader array of historical
sites. What was renamed History on the Air soon morphed into Heritage on the
Air, the programme as it is known today. Using a spreadsheet developed by Steve
Brooks ZS3SB, activators and chasers alike keep track of their contacts and
ultimately their cumulative score which they submit at the end of each year.

Organisers believe that the exercise offers a greater opportunity to learn
about history, either by chasing, activating or proposing new sites for
inclusion. Proposals are required to be well-researched applications that
explain the historical significance of the location, which must be connected to
war, telecommunications or general history. The sites must have a significance
dating back at least 75 years.

As for modes, well, that?s a nod to history too: operators can use SSB, AM, FM
CW and yes, even heliographs. Of course.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(SARL, HERITAGE ON THE AIR)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A, is
on the air as special event station SX17ASTRO until the 8th of August for the
17th Panhellenic Expedition of Amateur Astronomers. Be listening on the HF
bands. Certificates are available. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Antonio, IK7WUL, will be on the air from different locations in Africa during a
mission trip in his spare time. Mainly operating on 10 metres SSB as 9U?DX from
Burundi until the 10th of August, Rwanda as 9X?DX through to the 18th and
between the 18th of August and the 7th of September as TY2AA from Benin. See
QRZ.com for QSL details.

Steve, ZL2KE is using the callsign E51KEE from Rarotonga, IOTA Number OC-013,
in the South Cook Islands between the 3rd and 18th of August. He is using CW
and some SSB on 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 metres. QSL direct to IK2DUW.

To highlight the plight of mistreated dogs and cats and the work of their
rescuers a group of amateur radio special event stations will be on-air with an
award scheme during August. For International Cat day on August 8th, DA0CAT,
DL0CAT will be on-air during the whole month while GB4CAT, GB9CAT,YL1CAT and
W1C will be on for shorter periods. See catdayradio.org and qrz.com for
details. For International Dog day on August 26th, DA0DOG, DL0DOG will be
on-air during the whole month while GB4DOG, YL1DOG and K2D will be on for
shorter periods. See dogdayradio.org and qrz.com for details.     

(425 DX BULLETIN, WIA)

**
We hope you've been enjoying the ham radio haikus that our listeners have sent
in - have you written one yet? The Newsline haiku challenge is as easy as
writing a QSL card. We can only accept the correct haiku format - that is, a
three-line verse with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and
five in the third. Submit your work on our website at arnewsline.org - each
week's winner gets a shout-out on our website, where everyone can find the
winning haiku.

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur News Daily; ARRL; Bernard Falkin, KG6FBM; British
Amateur TV Club; Chuy, XE2N; David Behar K7DB; DX India; DX World; 425DX
Bulletin; FCC; Heritage on the Air; Millennium Post; ProfitPakistanToday.com;
QRZ.com; Radio Society of Great Britain; Shortwaveradio.de; South African Radio
League; Swedish Society of Radio Amateurs; Wireless Institute of Australia; 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 Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West Virginia saying
73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2025. Amateur Radio Newsline retains ownership of its material even
when retransmitted elsewhere. All rights are reserved.

** Audio in .mp3 format is available at bbs.catracing.org 6840

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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