From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2522 for Friday, February 27th, 2026
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2522 with a release date of
Friday, February 27th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Repairs delay the Artemis 2 launch. HamClock
gets a back-end server and a future - and are you ready for the Bouvet
Island 3Y0K DXpedition? All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2522 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
GET READY FOR THE BOUVET ISLAND 3Y0K DXPEDITION

NEIL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, the 3Y0K DXpedition was approaching Bouvet Island and keeping an eye on the weather. If you're
hoping to get in the log, familiarize yourself with the team's
operating procedures which appear on their website 3Y0K.com - some of
them depart from customary procedures so as to avoid interference
fromDQRM.

Keep up to date by following the link that appears in the text version
of this newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://3y0k.com/#news ]

And good luck!

**

REPAIRS DELAY ARTEMIS 2 LAUNCH FOR AT LEAST A MONTH

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, if you were looking forward to the launch of
NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket in March, you're going to have to wait a
bit longer. Kent Peterson KC0DGY brings us an update.

KENT: The Artemis 2 moon rocket is leaving the launch pad at Florida's
Kennedy Space Center, but not for its trip in the direction of the moon
-- at least not yet. As was expected, the rocket is headed toward the
Vehicle Assembly Building on site where NASA can address a helium
blockage affecting the rocket's upper stage.

The space agency, which had announced an original launch window
beginning March 6 for the test flight's liftoff, has said the repair
could delay things for a month or more. This is to be the first crewed
moon mission in more than 50 years. Four amateur radio operators are
among the 34 volunteer observers around the world chosen recently to
passively track radio waves transmitted during the mission.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(SPACE.COM, NASA)

**
HAMCLOCK USERS GET FREE BACKEND SERVER

NEIL/ANCHOR: Good news for HamClock users and fans: A free community
backend server has become available. The website, hamclock.com, make
HamClock's continued functions available for free following a
successful reconfiguration of the clock to the new server. The
functions include, among other things, weather pressure maps, aurora
map generation, ham news headlines, realtime PSK Reporter spot data,
VOACAP propagation reports and Kp index from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The functions are made possible through the work of Bruce Edrich,
W4BAE, who built the project upon the open-hamclock-back-end. Updating
can be done via two simple text changes -- either to the hosts file or
to the command that starts HamClock. The project is independent of the
feeds from the original site, clearskyinstitute.com.

It is one of several developments as forks of the open HamClock
back-end created by Brian Wilkins KO4AQF and Austin Parsons KN4LNB.
Brian told Newsline that installation instructions and other
information can be found on GitHub. The link is in the text version of
this week's newscast at arnewsline.org.

[DO NOT READ: https://github.com/BrianWilkinsFL/open-hamclock-backend
]

The popular shack accessory was left in limbo after the recent death of
its creator, Elwood Downey, WB0OEW. Without a new backend service, its
varied functions were scheduled to stop working in June.

(AMATEUR NEWS DAILY, HAMCLOCK.COM)

**
JOINT BALLOON LAUNCH FOR FLORIDA HAMS, STUDENTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: A solar-powered high-altitude balloon was launched
recently by middle schoolers in Florida -- and though it weighed only
15 grams, it carried an ambitious agenda for science - and the
students. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us more.

JACK: Accompanied by their parents and some school staffers, 63
students at the Sky Academy in Englewood, Florida watched on the 18th
of February as their little Sky Tracker pico balloon soared away from
the earth with the help of hams from the Englewood Amateur Radio
Society. Equipped to communicate via APRS, the balloon transmits such
data as time, date, altitude, ascent, humidity, grid square - and of
course its callsign, N4EAR-1.

The launch was a first for the students, who are in the school's STEM
program - and it was the first partnership of its kind for the amateur
radio society, said its president, Bill Reed, K7WWR. The students have
been able to track its international journey on their smart phones and
on a big screen in their classroom.

Bill told Newsline that the students aren't the only ones who have been immersed in this project. He said [quote]: "Our club members are very
excitedly tracking the balloon. It has generated much excitement as we
are wondering how our baby is doing. We are hoping for at least one circumnavigation of the globe." [endquote] At the time that Bill spoke
to Newsline, the balloon was nearly over Africa and well on its way.
That's a particular point of pride for the club's officers who
supported this first-time collaboration with the school. It opens up
the world, even as the little balloon soars high above it.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(BILL REED, K7WWR; MYSUNCOAST.COM)


NEIL/ANCHOR; If you want to track the balloon, visit aprs.fi and enter
the callsign N4EAR-1.

**

SILENT KEY: RSGB'S COLIN THOMAS G3PSM, SPECTRUM ADVOCATE

NEIL/ANCHOR: A dedicated defender of the amateur radio spectrum in the
IARU's Region 1 has become a Silent Key. We hear more about him from
Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Colin Thomas G3PSM, who served as president of the Radio
Society of Great Britain from 2008 to 2009, was known throughout Region
1 of the IARU as an active advocate for the well-being of the amateur
radio spectrum. According to his obituary on the RSGB website, Colin's
greatest efforts within the region included the defence of existing
allocations and the acquisition of 136kHz and 472 kHz for amateur use.
He also pushed for allocations at 5 MHz and for expansion of 7 MHz.

Colin died on Tuesday, 17 February following a short illness.

His involvement with IARU Region 1 included serving as its HF manager
from 2005 through to 2008. In 2017, IARU Region 1 presented Colin with
the Roy Stevens G2BVN Memorial Award for his service and dedication to international amateur radio.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IARU REGION 1, RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN)

**
ZERO RETRIES DIGITAL CONFERENCE PICKS SITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: San Ramon, California will be hosting a busy weekend this
coming October so plan ahead. George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU has the
details.

GEORGE: Hams and other tech enthusiasts who are coming to San Ramon,
California for Pacificon 2026, the ARRL Pacific Division Convention,
can look forward to a separate event on their calendar taking place
just down the street: The Zero Retries Digital Conference is back for
its second year. Organizers have announced that the Roundhouse
Conference Center will be hosting the conference on the 15th of
October. Attendees who arrive early will also have the opportunity to
visit the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

Registration has not yet opened and planning is still a
work-in-progress for the Zero Retries event. Organizers stress that if
you have plans to attend both events, Pacificon is a separate activity
taking place on October 16th, 17th and 18th, and you'll need to
register for that at pacificon.org

The Zero Retries Newsletter's inaugural conference was held in
September 2025 in Washington State.

This is George Zafiropoulos, KJ6VU


(ZERO RETRIES, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

**

NEW MEXICO CLUB GAINS FULLTIME USE OF MOBILE TRAILER

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in one New Mexico club were pleased to discover that
the mobile trailer they've been borrowing from the county is now theirs
to use fulltime. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB gives us those details.

RALPH: An amateur radio club in New Mexico has become the beneficiary
of a statewide transition by first responders to a new digital
microwave communications system on 700 MHz.

In Socorro County. officials have transferred the use of their older
mobile VHF communications trailer to the Socorro Amateur Radio
Association. The association had been borrowing the trailer for quite
some time for members' use during Field Day at the San Antonio Fire
Station as well as for the group's emergency operations. One of the
members, Alfred Braun AC5BX, told Newsline in a phone call that the
county's action now means that the hams will have fulltime access to
the trailer and will be able to use and maintain everything in good
working condition for the next four or five years.

Meanwhile, New Mexico's Department of Information Technology continues
reducing its reliance on analogue VHF, bringing first responders
throughout the state onto what they consider to be a more secure
digital trunking network.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(ALFRED BRAUN, AC5BX, EL DEFENSOR CHIEFTAIN)

**

HUSBAND-WIFE TEAM GET TOP HONORS IN CANADA

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Fred Archibald, VE1FA, and Helen
Archibald, VA1YL, who were recently recognized by Radio Amateurs of
Canada for their years of amateur radio commitment. The
husband-and-wife team has been chosen to receive the RAC's Amateur of
the Year Award for 2025. Married for more than 50 years, they have been
almost equally married to their amateur radio involvement, which has
included teaching, mentoring, net control, club leadership and
equipment restoration. Read more about them on the RAC website at
rac.ca

(AMATEUR NEWS DAILY, RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the VE2REH repeater in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on Fridays at 7:20
p.m. local time.

**

YLS PREPARE FOR WORLD WIDE AWARD ACTIVITY

NEIL/ANCHOR: The World Wide Award, a massive 31-day ham radio event
celebrating global communication across as many countries as possible,
has inspired a similar event, coming in March. This one is just for
YLs. We have details from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Taking their cue from the successful World Wide Award of the
past few years, organisers are launching the YL-WWA. YLs from far and
wide will be calling CQ for hunters anywhere in the world. A shorter
version of the month-long event, this activity will be happening only
from the 9th to the 16th of March, with YLs using their own callsigns
and their preferred modes.

Veronika, DL4VER, the international liaison for the event, told
Newsline that the idea had been born at Ham Radio Friedrichshafen last
year in a discussion between Max, IW1FRU and Heike, DL3HD, representing
the German YLs. Veronika said it is the first international radio
project designed to bring together the largest number of YLs globally
in a single event. Logging will be done live by the activators without
the need for hunters to submit logs. She added [quote] "Hunters just
need to go on the bands and enjoy the radio." [endquote]

Details about the event, including rules and awards, are available on
the website. You'll find a link in the text version of this week's
newscast at arnewsline.org You will also be able to see which YL
activators have already signed up.

[DO NOT READ: https://hamaward.cloud/wwayl ]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(VERONIKA DL4VER)

**
AMSAT YOUTH PROGRAM HAS NEW COURSE, KIDS' COLORING BOOK

NEIL/ANCHOR: AMSAT's Youth Initiative has been busy on a number of
fronts with projects to encourage youngsters to learn more about
satellites and their impact on our lives. With this report, we welcome
the newest member of the Newsline team, Daniel Garcia, W2DIY.

DANIEL: In its continued effort to connect the next generation with
satellite initiatives, AMSAT's Youth Initiative has produced a new
installment in its online satellite course and, in a separate effort,
has introduced a free downloadable coloring book for younger students.

The coloring book, called "Satellites in Space Help Us Live a Better
Life on Earth," focuses on ways that satellites have an impact on
almost everyone's daily activities. Produced with a grant from Amateur
Radio Digital Communications, it contains illustrations on 12 two-page
spreads and is available in English and Spanish with accompanying
discussion guides. Details and downloadable copies are available at the
website buzzsat dot com (buzzsat.com).

Meanwhile, the third installment of AMSAT's free online satellite
course is being prepared for release. It was produced by Eric
Sonnenwald, N2XSE, a retired science teacher, and examines the ways
satellites assist with the control of pollution on earth. It will be
available with the two other courses released earlier in the program: "Introduction to Satellite Meteorology" and "Satellites and Climate
Change."

AMSAT rolled out its community-based Youth Initiative Program in 2022
to provide age-appropriate lessons for students living in the satellite
age.

This is Daniel Garcia W2DIY.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**
AMSAT 'STUDENTS ON THE AIR DAY' ENCOURAGES SATELLITE QSOS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In addition, if you're a student who's also a licensed
ham, you now have a good excuse for looking out the window or staring
up at the sky: AMSAT has declared the first and third Tuesday of each
month to be STOTA DAY - that's Students on the Air Day. Starting in
March, students everywhere in the US will be encouraged to get out
there and make as many QSOs by satellite as they can - and work as many satellites as they can. Have fun - just don't do this in the middle of
class... unless your teacher approves, of course.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, hams throughout Denmark will be activating the
callsign OZ100OZ from the 1st through to the 8th of March to mark the
centenary of amateur radio as a licensed activity in that country. It
was in March of 1926 that the Danish Ministry of Public Works legalised
ham radio which, by the end of its first year, had issued 40 licenses
to operators.

Arno, DL1CW, is operating as 9G5ZZ from Ghana until the 3rd of March.
He is using mainly CW with some RTTY. Listen for him on 80-6 metres.

The radio club of the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia,
XU7AMO, will have a number of operators, including the school's
students, calling QRZ via the QO-100 satellite from the 27th of
February through to the 2nd of March. The activity will take place
during a satellite communication training session by the Telecom
Department of the Electronics Faculty in Phnom Penh. They will also be
making use of three low-earth orbit satellites: RS-44, SO-50 and FO-29.

Suvarna VU3OPT will continue his operation on Mauritius as 3B8G through
to the end of March. Listen for him on 20, 15 and 10 metres, where he
will be using CW.

For all these stations, please see QRZ.com for QSL information and
other details.

(DX-WORLD.NET, 425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: YHOTY 2026 NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

NEIL/ANCHOR: Finally this week, we here at Amateur Radio Newsline are
asking for your help in identifying a very special young person whose
ham radio adventures have risen to Olympic heights worthy of special recognition. Newsline's Mark Abramowicz (Abram-oh-vich) NT3V is here
with that story..

MARK: Some of you will know of a young ham who has done extraordinary
things in just a few short years of activity in this hobby.

Maybe he or she is now a teenager, someone for whom you have served as
a role model - or as we "oldtimers" call it - an Elmer.

Perhaps that person has been involved in spearheading special
activities at your radio club, or even started a radio club in their
school and recruited classmates.

This could be a young person who - thanks to your support and those
in your community - has promoted amateur radio through Field Day,
weekly nets, got invited to appear and speak at a forum at Hamvention
or earned a coveted invitation to work with other like-minded teenage
hams at the Youth on the Air camp.

If you know someone like that, we need you to shine the spotlight on
that person.

We're now opening nominations for the Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial
Young Ham of the Year award for 2026. We need you to step up and bring
your special ham to the attention of our team of judges.

Candidates must be licensed amateur radio operators - 18 years of age
or younger - and residents of the continental United States.

Go right now to our website - arnewsline-dot-org and find the
nomination form under the awards tab. Start assembling the
documentation on your nominee and make sure you turn it in by our May
31 deadline.

This award is only possible with your nominations and your support.

I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, chairman of the Young Ham of the Year
Award program.

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alfred Braun, AC5BX; Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT News
Service; David Behar, K7DB; DX-World.net; El Defensor Chieftan; 425DX
Bulletin; IARU Region 1; NASA.gov; QRZ.com Forums; Radio Society of
Great Britain; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; Veronika DL4VER; Wireless Institute of Australia; Zero Retries; 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. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2026. Amateur Radio Newsline retains ownership of its
material even when retransmitted elsewhere. All rights are reserved.

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