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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2481 for Friday, May 16th, 2025 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2481 with a release date of Friday, May
16th, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1

The following is a QST. The IARU looks to merge its independent
regions. Record numbers turn out for a ham radio exam in Bangladesh
--and the ARRL asks the FCC again to increase Technician privileges on
HF. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2481
comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
IARU OUTLINES RE-ENGINEERED VISION, ELIMINATING REGIONAL ENTITIES

DON/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is the International Amateur Radio
Union. Marking 100 years of representing member countries around the
world and coordinating frequencies and other concerns, the organization
enters its second century with one big change on its mind. We have
those details from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Imagine, for a moment, an IARU without separate entities known
as Region 1, Region, 2 and Region 3. Imagine a total restructuring that
would create a single global entity, erasing the discrete regions
separated by oceans, languages and cultures.

The IARU has announced that it is considering just that and has
released a proposal to unite the independent regions as one, combined
with the International Secretariat, to streamline decision-making,
to better coordinate shared concerns and to bolster membership in
regions where it is declining. The IARU's administrative headquarters
is presently based at the ARRL in the United States.

The IARU has released guidance on potential restructuring to help the organization meet modern challenges. The proposed changes would combine
the 3 separate regional organizations into a single global entity.

The proposal (PDF) outlines a number of areas where the currently
independent, regional organizations struggle. Problem areas include
declining membership, duplication of resources, lack of coordination,
and other various inefficiencies. The changes are designed to establish
a number of benefits:

This overwhelming change would not happen overnight, of course. The
IARU will be asking member societies to vote after they have reviewed
the consultation on restructuring, which is available on the IARU
website. Any changes that are approved would not take place before
nextyear.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(IARU)

**
UNIVERSITY IN ROME LOGS QSOs TO WELCOME NEW POPE

DON/ANCHOR: If you were lucky enough to work HV5PUL in Rome recently,
you were part of this small university-based station's celebration that
a new pope had been elected. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about the
activation.

JEREMY: Two days after the conclave of cardinals had elected Pope Leo
XIV, amateur radio station HV5PUL - the Pontifical Lateran University
-was on the air in the Vatican City State in the heart of Rome,
celebrating. The station's administrator, Luca Della Giovampaola,
IW0DJB, reported that traffic was lively on 20 metres SSB and 17 metres
FT8. He said that the simple 100-watt station logged an estimated 400
contacts in four hours. Propagation was challenging and so, with the
exception of one Japanese station , all the contacts were within
Europe.

It's not often a new pope is chosen nor that HV5PUL is put on the air.
Luca said the callsign is active mainly on Saturdays in connection with
special occasions, such as the opening day of the university's academic
year -- and of course, the election of a new pope. This is Jeremy
BootG4NJH.

(LUCA DELLA GIOVAMPAOLA, IW0DJB)
**
HISTORIC TURNOUT FOR BANGLADESH HAM RADIO EXAM

DON/ANCHOR: Amateur radio test-taking hit an all-time high among
candidates in Bangladesh recently. John Williams VK4JJW is here to
explain what happened.

JOHN: A record number of candidates showed up to take Bangladesh's
amateur radio exam on Friday, May 9th, a total estimated at more than
900 participants. The Amateur Radio Society of Bangladesh said on its
website that [quote] "this remarkable figure represents the highest
number of participants ever recorded for an amateur radio exam in
Bangladesh's history." [endquote]

Weeks of preparation had gone into preparing candidates for the exam by offering online seminars as well as in-person training and workshops.
There was also a field day as well as classes in basic electronics and antenna-building. The amateur radio society said there was great
support from the Bangladesh Vespa Community, a community-service group
of motorised-scooter enthusiasts - many of whom also took the exam,
which was organised by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory
Commission.

It was not yet known how many of the candidates were successful in
getting their licence.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY OF BANGLADESH)

**
SILENT KEY: THE QSO RADIO SHOW'S TED RANDALL, WB8PUM

DON: Ted Randall, WB8PUM, host and founder of the QSO Radio Show heard
on shortwave stations WTWW and WRMI passed away on Sunday, May 11th
after a long illness. Born Ted Randall Klimkowski in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Ted graduated from Robichaud High School in 1969. Ted was a
broadcast engineer in Detroit and, later, Nashville. His sons, David
and Matt, are also engineers.

Ted was known for his deep voice and velvety delivery on the QSO Radio
Show. If it was of interest to amateurs, Ted covered it. He also
covered the paranormal. He said "if it flies over your head and can't
be identified or goes bump in the night, we talk about it." He did
several live shows from just outside the gates of Area 51 in Nevada.

Ted was a huge supporter of the Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak
WA6ITF Young Ham of the Year award. During his live broadcasts from the Huntsville Hamfest, the QSO Radio Show was usually the first stop after
the presentation for a sit down on air with Ted. He also did live
broadcasts from the Dayton Hamvention.

For several years, the Ham Nation television audio was simulcast by Ted
on WTWW.

He is survived by his wife Holly and two sons. Fittingly, he was 73
years of age.


**
ARRL'S RENEWED CALLS TO FCC INCLUDE PLEA FOR TECHNICIANS' HF PRIVILEGES

DON/ANCHOR: The FCC's recent request for suggestions about eliminating
or modifying any and all regulations has become an opportunity for the
ARRL to renew some of its recent proposals to the regulator, as we hear
from Andy Morrison K9AWM.

ANDY: The ARRL has renewed an earlier plea that the FCC grant HF
privileges to Technician class radio amateurs. The revival of this
proposed change is prominent on a long list the league has drawn up for
the commission, responding to the federal government's goal to
eliminate certain FCC regulations or guidelines. The league is asking
that Technicians gain phone privileges on 80 metres, 40 metres and 15
metres along with RTTY and digital privileges. This is not the only
previous petition the league is pressing for as part of the
commission's announced changes. It is also asking that sub-band
boundaries be adjusted on 80 and 75 metres to correct what it calls an "imbalance" that doesn't reflect the increased presence of digital
operations. The ARRL is also underscoring its belief that baud rate and bandwidth limitations should be eliminated on certain amateur LF and
VHF/UHF bands. This FCC initiative was announced in its Further Notice
of Proposed Rule making in 2023.

The FCC initiative was contained in its Docket Number 25-133 which has
been referred to as the "Delete, Delete, Delete" docket.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(RADIOWORLD, FCC)

**
HAMS EXEMPT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA LAW BANNING HANDHELDS

DON/ANCHOR: There's good news for hams in South Carolina, where a new
law will ban most handheld devices from use behind the wheel of a
moving vehicle. Kevin Trotman N5PRE has those details.

KEVIN: South Carolina is about to become the 32nd state in the US to
exempt amateur radio operators from a law that bans drivers of motor
vehicles from using hand-held devices.

After it is signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster, the measure is to
take effect on September 1st. Although it prohibits drivers from using
portable computers, GPS receives, mobile phones, electronic games or
other communication devices, the bill exempts operators of amateur,
citizens bad, commercial and emergency radios.

Members of the state Senate and House of Representatives passed
different versions of the Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act earlier
this year - overwhelmingly. They recently agreed to resolve the
differences in both versions and send it in its final form, to the
governor.

A similar law in Iowa - also with a ham radio exemption - is set to
take effect on the 1st of July, joining a growing number of states
around the US.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE. (SCSTATEHOUSE.GOV; WYFF CHANNEL 4, WIS-TV)

**
HAMS EXEMPT FROM DISTRACTED-DRIVING LAW THAT BEGINS JUNE 5

DON/ANCHOR: A similar law takes effect on the 5th of June in
Pennsylvania, where drivers will be banned from using handheld mobile
devices while behind the wheel of a moving car. As with many
distracted-driving laws passed recently, this law also exempts amateur
radio operators and emergency responders. The measure is known as Paul
Miller's Law, bearing the name of the 21-year-old man struck and killed
by a motorist distracted by a phone in 2010.

(COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the K5VOM repeater in Greenville, Texas on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

DON/ANCHOR: Nominations close on the 31st of this month for Newsline's
Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Do you know a
promising young amateur who is a potential candidate? Consider
nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger here in
the continental United States. If they have talent, promise and a
commitment to the spirit of ham radio they might just be this year's
award winner. Find application forms on our website, arnewsline.org,
under the "AWARDS" tab.

**

PROJECT KUIPER LAUNCHES ITS FIRST SATELLITES

DON/ANCHOR: After a series of delays that pushed its first satellite
launch well past its target date of early 2024, Amazon's new broadband
internet constellation project has moved ahead with its first liftoff.
We have those details from Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: The broadband internet constellation known as Project Kuiper is
on its way at last, following the launch on Monday, April 28th of its
first 27 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Amazon envisions its long-anticipated $10-billion project as a direct
challenge to the massive SpaceX Starlink network, which dominates the
market, as well as Eutelsat OneWeb, AT&T and T-Mobile. Ultimately
Project Kuiper will send 3,236 satellites into low-Earth orbit, making
its global broadband service accessible to rural and underserved
regions.

A mandate by the US Federal Communications Commission requires Amazon
to deploy 1,618 - or half - of its satellites by the middle of next
year. Analysts speculate that the company may seek an extension on that
date as a result of the delays.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE, REUTERS)

**
AMSAT SETS OCTOBER DATE FOR SYMPOSIUM, MEETING

DON/ANCHOR: October seems like a long way off but to planners of the
43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting, it's just
around the corner. Organizers have already sent out a "save the date"
notice for the weekend of October 16th and have published a general
schedule that runs for four days. Meetings and presentations will be
hosted at the Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North in Arizona,
convenient to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

The board of directors will meet on Thursday the 16th of October and
again on Friday the 17th of October, the same day that the symposium presentations will begin. The annual general meeting will be on
Saturday, the 18th of October. The morning of Sunday, the 19th of
October - the closing day - has been set aside for the members'
breakfast. More specific details will be made public as soon as they
become available.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**
AWARD RECOGNIZES WSPR RADIO "DETECTIVES"

DON/ANCHOR: DUBUS, a magazine that is popular with amateurs around the
world who focus on VHF and higher frequencies, is posing a challenge
--and offering a reward. It involves a little radio detective work, as
we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The international ham radio magazine for enthusiasts operating
VHF and up has announced it will award a prize this year to a radio
operator studying the scientific validity of global passive WSPR radar
in locating aircraft. The theory came to prominence following the use
of WSPR log data in the search for the doomed Malaysian flight MH370,
which disappeared in 2014 en route to Beijing.

The journal, which publishes four times a year in English and German,
has created this award to mark the 75th anniversary of the DARC and the
100th anniversary of the International Amateur Radio Union. The total
prize award is 7,500 euros - the equivalent of $8,450 US - and is in
three categories: 1,500 Euros, or $1,600, for proof involving large
passenger or cargo aircraft; 2,500 Euros, or $2,800, for proof
involving smaller aircraft; 3,500 Euros, almost $4,000 for proof
involving helicopters.

Studies should be submitted in either English or German and in PDF
format to the email address that appears in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org by the entry deadline of 31st of
December. [DO NOT READ: DUBUS@t-online.de ]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH

(DUBUS)

**
WORLD OF DX

Morten, LA9GY, is using the callsign 3DA0GY while operating holiday
style from Eswatini from the 22nd of May through to the 2nd of June.
Morten will be using CW and some SSB, concentrating on 20, 15 and 10
metres. He may also operate on other HF bands. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.

Listen for OT25EPIC, the special callsign of the Antwerp Port Contest
Club, ON8APC, which is on the air to promote this year's edition of the
Antwerp Port Epic cycling race. The callsign will be on the air between
the 10th of May and the 9th of June, which is the day of the race. QSL
via ON8JJ.

The International Amateur Radio Club at ITU headquarters in Geneva is
using the callsign 4U0ITU from the 16th of May through to the end of
the year. This is to mark the 160th anniversary of the International Telecommunication Union.

Jose, HP2AT, is using the special callsign H82AT, to mark his 35th
anniversary in amateur radio. He is on the air through to the 31st of
December. Paper cards are not available. See QRZ.com for details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**

KICKER: WHEN THE "STATION IDENTIFICATION" IS A BINARY STAR SYSTEM

DON/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast with the story of some mystery
radio signals that are mysteries no more. Thanks to researchers,
there's been some "station identification." We learn more from Travis
Lisk N3ILS.

TRAVIS: Think of them as the dynamic duo of the universe: No, they're
not caped crusaders but a red dwarf star and a white dwarf, a dead
star. Together, they have been sending a steady radio pulse every two
hours for at least 10 years.

Scientists have heard their transmission but until recently no one knew
the source of the sounds, which appeared to emanate from the direction
of the Big Dipper. This past spring, the signals were found to come
from a binary system - two stars - that send the pulse by repeated
contact between their magnetic fields. Researchers cracked the mystery
with the help of a low-frequency array radio telescope. The discovery
debunks the long-held belief that only highly magnetized neutron stars
known as magnetars, can emit such pulses.

This challenge to the old way of thinking opens up the chance to
explore other mysteries and binary systems.

Researchers call this binary star system ILTJ1101 [EYE ELL TEE JAY ONE
ONE ZERO ONE]. Although it sounds like a very large and exotic callsign
for this long-distance transmitter, it's not. Still, with all those
steady, regular signals over the years, this pair surely deserves some
kind of operating award.

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(SUSTAINABILITY TIMES, SPACE.COM, SCI.NEWS)

**
Have you sent in your amateur radio haiku to Newsline's haiku challenge
yet? It's as easy as writing a QSL card. Set your thoughts down using traditional haiku format - 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; Amateur Radio Society of
Bangladesh; AMSAT; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; David Behar K7DB; FCC;
IARU; Luca Della Giovampaola, IW0DJB; QRZ.com; NASA; Radio World;
Reuters; SCINews; shortwaveradio.de; South Carolina Statehouse;
Space.com; Sustainability Times; Wireless Institute of Australia; WYFF
Channel 4; 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 Don Wilbanks AE5DW in Picayune, Mississippi saying 73.
As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

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