From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2515 for Friday, January 9th, 2026
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2515 with a release date of
Friday, January 9th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC bans the sale of foreign-made drones in
the US. Montenegro launches its first satellite -- and an HF net to
take care of family caregivers. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2515 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
FCC BANS IMPORT, SALE OF FOREIGN-MADE DRONES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story is of particular interest to drone-users. A
ban on imports into the US now means that only American-made drones
with American-made parts may be sold here. Kent Peterson KC0DGY picks
up the story from here.

KENT: The import and sale of foreign-made drones and components are now
banned in the US, following action by the Federal Communications
Commission, citing the potential of national security risks. The
agency's move follows an executive order from the White House in June,
banning unmanned aircraft systems and their parts.

The executive order, known as "Restoring American Airspace
Sovereignty," stated that the move also has the goal of boosting drone manufacture in the US for use here and for export to the global
marketplace.

The ban is expected to have far-reaching effects on drone sellers as
well as their customers. Drones are widely used by first responders,
farmers, business owners and hobbyists. The ban affects only new
products that are not already here in the US.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FCC)

**
SWEEPING REGULATION CHANGES FOR UK DRONES

NEIL/ANCHOR: As of January 1st, the landscape for drone operators has
also changed in the UK, under new Civil Aviation Authority regulations.
Each drone to be sold must carry Class Marks that reflect compliance
with that particular aircraft's technical and safety standards. The
Class Marks are similar to those used in the EU and cover where and how
the drone can be flown. There is also an array of new regulations
covering different weights of drones and their permitted proximity to
people - or crowds of people. Drones carrying cameras, and weighing at
least 100 grams, are also required to have a Flyer ID. A Remote ID is
also required to transmit the drone's identification and its location
while airborne.

The new regulations apply to drone use by hobbyists as well as
professionals. The class-based regulations do not apply to drones
purchased before the first of this year. They will instead operate
under the weight-based rules.

For specific rules, visit c a a dot c o dot uk stroke drones
(caa.co.uk/drones)

(YOUTUBE, TECHRADAR, UK CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY)

**
MONTENEGRO LAUNCHES FIRST SATELLITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: There's a bit of celebration in Montenegro, which recently
marked a satellite "first," as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The small Balkan nation of Montenegro finished 2025 by taking a history-making step into space with the launch of its first satellite.

Weighing just under 2 kilogrammes, the 1U CubeSat began its journey on
the 28th of December aboard a Soyuz carrier rocket from Russia's new
cosmodrome near the border with China. A project of Montenegro Space
Research, it is designed to collect data for transmission back to
Earth. On board are a high-resolution camera, solar panels and a
variety of sensors - all designed to function throughout the
satellite's three-year mission in low-earth orbit.

Montenegro's amateur radio association announced that it received its
first telemetry signals from the satellite on the 31st of December,
adding that it planned to donate an antenna to the space research
organisation for everyday reception.

The satellite has been named Luca [pronounced: LOO CHA], which is
Montenegrin for "light."

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SPACEWATCH GLOBAL, MONTENEGRO SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION)

**
NEW HOLLAND RADIO SHACK ACQUIRES QUICKSILVER RADIO

NEIL/ANCHOR: A well-regarded electronics supply business in Connecticut
is not closing its doors after the death of its founder last year.
Instead, the company is moving, as we hear from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Quicksilver Radio Products, the popular Connecticut-based business established by John Bartscherer, N1GNV, two decades ago, is relocating
to Pennsylvania as a division of the New Holland Radio Shack.

John, who was widely known as John Bee, became a Silent Key in October
of 2025 while he was hospitalized. The death of the popular and
personable radio amateur also drew concerns among loyal longtime
customers that his business would permanently close its doors. In a
late December announcement that appeared in the QRZ.com forums and on
Facebook, the company said it was in the process of moving its
inventory to its new location. Quicksilver said that the company also
planned to have a presence at Hamcation in Orlando, Florida in
February.

The business' website, qsradio.com, is also operating again.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(QRZ.COM FORUMS, FACEBOOK)

**
EXPERIMENTAL HF STATIONS LOSE CALLSIGN-ID WAIVER

NEIL/ANCHOR: Experimental HF stations that had previously held waivers exempting them from station identification are now being required to
transmit their assigned callsigns at least once every half-hour. The
FCC sent letters in December to those stations who held the temporary
waivers saying it was dropping the exemptions following complaints of interference from other spectrum users. The experimental licenses are
for stations operating on the band between 2 and 25 MHz.

A posting on Radio World reported the change, which first appeared in Experimental Radio News from Bennett Kobb, AK4AV The FCC has said that
the identification must be in either by voice or Morse Code and that
digital encoding and digital modulation must be disabled during the ID.

(RADIO WORLD)

**

HALL OF FAME NOMINATION PERIOD OPENS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you know any hams who are potential Hall of Famers?
Listen up! Here's Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: Nominations are open now through to the 31st of March for
candidates to be nominated for entry to the Heritage CQ Amateur Radio
Hall of Fame. Licensed hams and any individuals whose actions have an
impact on amateur radio are eligible.

The Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame continues the tradition
established in 2001 by CQ magazine, which has ceased publication.
Hamgallery oversees the hall of fame and is accepting nominations sent
to the attention of Tom Roscoe K8CX at k8cx@hamgallery.com

A diverse group of licensed amateurs will review the nominations.
Please ensure that the words "CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame" appear in
your email's subject line.

There will be a maximum of three inductees.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(QRZ.COM FORUMS)

**
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CONTEST HALL OF FAME

NEIL/ANCHOR: The nomination period is also open through to the 1st of
March for the Contest Hall of Fame, which is being managed by the World
Wide Radio Operators Foundation. Originally established by CQ magazine
in 1986, candidates for inclusion are those who have personal operating achievements but also provided meaningful support to others in pursuit
of contesting excellence. Recent inductees include Uli Weiss, DJ2YA
and Pat Barkey, N9RV. The hall of fame also includes Silent Key Dick
Ross, K2MGA, president of CQ publishing.

For details visit the website contest h o f - that's one word - dot com (contesthof.com)

(CONTEST HALL OF FAME)

**
MINNESOTA AMATEURS HONOR WW2 MILITARY CHAPLAIN

NEIL/ANCHOR: A Minnesota amateur radio club is honoring the US Army
chaplain whose prayers provided courage and faith to Gen. George
Patton's troops during World War 2. He also happened to be a licensed
ham who became a Silent Key in 1995. Kent Peterson KC0DGY brings us the details.

KENT: Father George Metcalf, who held the callsign W0JH, also held
faith in the troops he served under Gen. George Patton -- and that
favorable weather would aid the Allies' efforts during the Battle of
the Bulge. With the help of a fellow military chaplain, the priest
offered a prayer for the Allies to enter the key battle under
fairskies.

In the decade following the war's end, the Episcopal priest made his
home at what is now the Belwin Conservancy's Savanna Center in Afton, Minnesota. On January 9th, 10th and 11th, the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association will be on the air from the priest's former home to honor
him and will be using his original callsign. They will be joined by
Father Brian K. Burgess, KD4UTL, an Episcopal bishop who will be
visiting from Illinois to operate with the hams and officiate on Sunday
at a local service.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(PIONEER PRESS, SARA)

**
GERMAN AMATEURS' ACCESS TO 70 MHz BAND IN LIMBO

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Germany, amateurs' use of the 70 MHz band appears to be
in limbo as of January 1st. The annual temporary-use permit that had
been in place expired on the 31st of December. The regulator has taken
no action to renew it.

The Novice-level -- the middle licence class in Germany -- amateur
radio licenses have had temporary permission to use the 6-metre band.
The nation's regulator, BNETzA a Federal Agency, has not extended these operating privileges for Class E license holders. Any amateurs wishing
to transmit on 50 MHz in Germany must hold a Class A, full license,
which has had permanent access to the band since June 2024.

(D A R C)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the Midstate Hams WA9RDF repeater in Greenwood Indiana on Sundays at 7
p.m. local time.

**
UK TELEGRAPHY STATION MARKS 125th ANNIVERSARY

NEIL/ANCHOR: One hundred twenty-five years have passed since commercial telegraphy began at the Lizard Wireless Station in the UK, where
operators discovered that radio waves could follow the curve of the
earth. This month, hams are at that same clifftop site in Cornwall
marking the occasion - and the role the station played in the shaping communications forever. We hear more from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The commercial telegraphy station that opened in 1901 at the
Lizard Wireless Station captured the imagination of the pioneer
Guglielmo Marconi. He used it as a test site while planning what was to
become part of his historic transatlantic transmissions from nearby
Poldhu in December of that year. By then, radio had already emerged as
a prominent communication force: Just 23 days after the Lizard station
opened, its operators received the first over-the-horizon wireless
signals sent from St Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight. It was a record-setting moment.

The station's historic callsign, GB4LWS, is back on the air throughout
the month of January. Ham radio operators from the Cornish Radio
Amateur Club join Geoff G0FHT and Tim M0AFJ of the National Trust to
mark the anniversary.

Geoff, who is the Lizard's amateur radio operations manager, told
Newsline that the celebration recognises the station's role in creating
the foundation for our modern connected world.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(WIA, NATIONAL TRUST, GEOFF G0FHT)

**
DX REBEL GROUP EXPEDITES CONWAY REEF PLANS

NEIL/ANCHOR: It's a race against the clock - or at least the calendar
-for members of the Rebel DX Group, as they step up their plans to
activate a very environmentally sensitive DX location: Conway Reef, 300
miles south of Fiji. John Williams VK4JJW has those details.

JOHN: The Rebel DX Group has announced that they expect to face fully restricted physical access to Conway Reef but are nonetheless hoping to activate the site before the new limitations begin. The team posted a
notice on various DX news sites saying [quote] "We are quickly
organizing a trip to 3D2/C before the new restrictions take place."
[endquote] The team reports that Fiji's Ministry of Fisheries will soon designate the site as a restricted-access zone. No specific dates were
provided in their announcement -- either for the activation plans or
the start of the restrictions.

A trip to Conway Reef would mark a fourth return there. The Rebel DX
group activated it in May of 2024 as 3D2CCC, facing numerous
challenges, including very windy conditions and issues with birds
interfering with the equipment.

This is John Williams VK4JJW

(DX WORLD.NET, FACEBOOK)

**
HAM CLUB CW ACTIVITY BUILDS NEWCOMERS' CONFIDENCE

NEIL/ANCHOR: The letter "X" is often used to symbolize a crossing and
one ham club based in Japan is putting that symbol to good use, helping
new CW operators cross the barrier of fear. Jason Daniels VK2LAW gives
us the details.

JASON: The activity is called "CQ XING," or "CQ Crossing," and it was
launched on the 1st of January by the A1Club to help new CW operators
overcome their fear of having QSOs longer than the customary short
exchange. Described as a "crossing to meet more CW friends," the
activity centers around 7.030 MHz, particularly on Fridays from 1300 to
1500 UTC. The international club, which is based in Japan, said in its announcement that while a simple exchange of RSTs is often fine,
amateurs engaging in "CQ XING" (SEE CUE EXXING} are leaving the
opportunity open for something a bit longer - even a ragchew. The club
said that calling CQ in this manner conveys [quote] "our shared desire
to operate with consideration and respect, making it easier for CW
beginners to participate...." [endquote]

Any ham hearing the message "CQ A1C XING" is welcome to reply. A speed
of between 10 and 20 wpm is suggested.

To find out more about the A1 club, visit the link in the text version
of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://a1club.org/A1_club_e.htm ]

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW

(NZ NET NEWS)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Giovanni IZ2DPX operating as PJ7/IZ2DPX,
and Flavio IW2NEF, operating as PJ7/IW2NEF as they activate Sint
Maarten, IOTA Number NA-105. They will be on the air from the 13th
through to the 21st of January, using SSB and FT8/FT4 on various bands.

The D A R C Team SES will be active as DH2026EM between the 10th of
January and the 10th of February during the Men's European Handball Championship being cohosted by Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Mathias, DL4MM is on the air as P40AA from Aruba, IOTA number SA-036,
from the 11th through to the 29th of January and his operations will
include the CQ WW 160-Meter CW Contest. Outside the contest, listen for
him using CW, SSB and FT8 on 160-10 metres.

A group of radio operators from the Palau Radio Club are on Koror
Island, IOTA number OC-009, operating from the 7th through to the 15th
of January. Listen for T88HS, T88SM and T88XE. The three wlil be using
various bands and modes.

See QRZ.com for all QSL details about these activations.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: WHEN HAMS CARE TO TAKE CARE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams, by many definitions, are caretakers. Through public
service, they care for their communities. Through fellowship, they
mentor and care for one another. There is also another level of
caretaking - one that has less visibility but carries perhaps the
greatest commitment of all. In our final story for this week, Jim
Davis, W2JKD, explains.

JIM: Forty-eight Novembers have come and gone since Doug KC2YME and his
wife, Linda, were married and they have rarely been apart. The couple
raised three sons and even as Doug pursued his career, he found joy in
his off-hours as a ham radio operator. Those off-hours are precious to
him now since he retired to become fulltime caregiver to his wife, who
has dementia and requires kidney dialysis. Being deaf, she either reads
his lips or increasingly relies on messages being written down.

Still, amateur radio is there for him and, at times, Doug's ragchews
have put him in touch with any number of amateurs who, like him, are
devoting time - sometimes fulltime - to a family member's complex
needs. He is now hoping to bring together these kindred spirits to
gather on 40 metres to share insights, stories and ultimately
friendship. He is looking for suggestions as to the date and time for
such a net. Anyone wishing to join to or learn more can contact him at
k c 2 y me ham @ gmail.com

This is Jim Davis W2JKD.

(DOUG BACKER, KC2YME)

**

HAIKU AND CLOSE

It's a new year - how about some new ham radio haikus from our Newsline listeners? 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 Amateur News Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; Bennett
Kobb AK4AV; David Behar, K7DB; D A R C; DX News; Doug Backer, KC2YME;
FCC; 425DX Bulletin; Geoff G0FHT; Montenegro Space Research
Organisation; National Trust; NZNet News; Pioneer Press; RadioWorld; shortwaveradio.de; SpaceWatch Global; Stillwater Amateur Radio
Association; 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 Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union, Kentucky 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.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2