From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2546 for Friday, August 14th, 2026
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2546 with a release date of
Friday, August 14th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams respond to a deadly earthquake in
Colombia. The FCC charges a sprawling GMRS repeater network with
violations -- and a software update for a space probe that really goes
the distance. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2546 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

**
AMATEUR RADIO RESPONDS TO COLOMBIAN EARTHQUAKE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is the deadly earthquake in
Colombia, South America. Graham Kemp VK4BB gives us a status report on
ham radio involvement as Newsline went to production.

GRAHAM: The death toll continued to rise past 200 in western Colombia
after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook towns and cities on Monday the
10th of August, causing nearly 2,000 buildings to collapse and injuring
nearly 3,000. It was the strongest earthquake to strike Colombia in 100
years and came only weeks after two earthquakes shattered Venezuela
inJune.

Updates were provided to Newsline by Greg Mossop G0DUB, emergency communications coordinator for IARU Region 1 and posted on the Region 1 website.

Members of the Colombian Amateur Radio League Amateur activated in
support of the Colombia Red Cross. Carlos Alberto Santamaria Gonzalez,
CO2JC, the IARU's Region 2 emergency coordinator said that Faber
Mosquera, HK6F, the league's emergency coordinator was coordinating
operations with the National Disaster Risk Management System. Faber
Mosquera also joined the Urban Search and Rescue unit of the Colombian
Red Cross which was headed to the city of Cali.

IARU Region 2 asked hams to monitor league frequencies on 80, 40, 20,
17 and 15 metres as well as 2 metres simplex and to keep those
frequencies clear of transmissions.

In Risaraldo, the Radio Amateurs from the Coffee Axis Amateur Radio Association, HK6REC, made their repeaters and other resources available
to support the hard-hit city of Pereira. Association president Nahir
Rios, HK6JSP, was directing his volunteer radio operators to assist
where needed. There had been assistance from the LRM, the Liga Radio
Manizales, HK6RM, as early as Monday evening, following the quake, The
group added their Echolink system to the national frequency to provide
more communication resources.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(REUTERS, CNN, IARU REGION 1)


STEPHEN/ANCHOR: On the morning of our newscast's production, Region 2
reported great progress: The proactive and sustained work by hams
throughout the region had already made a difference, providing repeater
access to the Fire Department after the collapse of their digital
system. Hams were also restoring power to strategically located club
repeaters 3,600 metres above sea level by installing solar panels and batteries. At one site, as work continued on repeaters used by
amateurs and various institutions in the Coffee Axis region, the public cultural FM radio station, RAC, supplied generator power to support the
effort. We will continue to watch this story for other developments.


**
FCC CHARGES GMRS NETWORK FOUNDER WITH VIOLATIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, the founder of a wide-reaching network of
GMRS repeaters based in Georgia has been charged with violating FCC regulations. We have an update from Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: The FCC has taken action against the operator of a GMRS repeater
network serving Georgia and Tennessee, saying his internet-linked
system violated regulations that ban the simultaneous retransmission of
voice messages across numerous repeaters.

The founder of the North Georgia GMRS radio network, Gary Beckstedt,
holds the GMRS license WQYU407. An amateur radio operator with the
callsign WB4GMB, he says on his QRZ page that more than half of the
members of his GMRS network are also licensed hams and that its paid
membership is rapidly growing. With more than 30 repeaters in the
system, it is "the largest GMRS network in the US," according to the
website.

FCC rules permit GMRS repeaters to be connected to other networks
solely for remote-control operation. According to a Notice of Violation
on the FCC website, on February 11th of this year, agents documented
the violation, confirming that the UHF repeaters' Internet connections
were being used to carry the same message to several repeaters for
transmission over the air. The Notice of Violation released on August 5
states that such use of so many linked repeaters over a wide area is
not in the public interest because it monopolizes a limited spectrum
resource and increases the potential for interference.

The network's website, which promotes annual membership starting at $90
a year, said that it is encouraging radio growth and education, adding:
[quote] "We have built a reputation of fostering our membership and
guiding them towards the Amateur Radio Community. After all, radio is
radio and it offers so much for those who choose to expand and grow in
the knowledge of radio communications." [endquote]

Beckstedt was given 20 days to respond to the FCC.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FCC, QRZ.COM, NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE)

**
'FOUR DAYS IN AUGUST' RETURNS TO HUNTSVILLE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If the "Four Days in May" event that precedes Dayton
Hamvention wasn't enough for you, get ready for "Four Days in August,"
which leads right up to the Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama. Andy
Morrison K9AWM has those details.

ANDY: The temperature is a little warmer than it was in Dayton, the
venue is a bit farther south and the format is as informal as it can
be, befitting an Alabama State Park. Four Days in August is coming back
to Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, opening to RV'ers, campers and
other visitors who are coming to town a few days before the big hamfest
and ARRL convention.

The organizer of Four Days in August, Steve KM9G, describes on his
YouTube channel how the customary informality of the activities is part
of its big draw. It's part camp-out, part POTA, part SOTA -- a little
bit of astrophotography - and lots of hands-on building under the
guidance of an Elmer or two.

Steve said that not every activity will take place under the trees or
on a park summit. Trips are also being scheduled to the US Space and
Rocketry Center and the Planetarium there as well as the Signals
Museum, where the group is hoping to host a soldering class.

In short, there will be plenty of amateur radio "rabbit holes" to
disappear down - but be sure to emerge in time for the Huntsville
Hamfest, which opens on Saturday the 22nd of August.

To hear Steve give all the details, and to learn of any updates, visit
his YouTube Channel, which is called Temporarily Offline..

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(TEMPORARILY OFFLINE)

**
CUBESAT RECEIVES CANADA'S FIRST OSCAR DESIGNATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: MARMOTSat, the satellite launched last month aboard a
SpaceX rideshare mission, has received Canada's first official OSCAR designation. This comes at an important time as Canada gains a higher
profile in the world of satellites. John Williams VK4JJW tells us more.

JOHN: MARMOTSat, a CubeSat built by students and researchers at the
University of Victoria's Centre for Aerospace Research in British
Columbia, was launched in early July. It is now known as Canada OSCAR
128. OSCAR is an acronym for Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio.
Its mission is to study the ionosphere to gain deeper knowledge of how
people's actions affect climate change. It will take measurements using transionospheric sounding.

The OSCAR designation is a significant one. It comes as AMSAT Canada
takes its place as an AMSAT affiliate and begins inviting members to
help grow the organisation. AMSAT Canada was incorporated as a
nonprofit in late 2023 and is the 28th affiliate of the Radio Amateur
Satellite Corporation. More details can be found on its official
website. Find a link in the text version of this week's newscast script
at arnewsline.org

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

[DO NOT READ: www.amsat-ca.org. ]

(AMSAT-CA, CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the W3BN repeater of the Reading Radio Club in Reading, Pennsylvania on
Fridays at 8 pm local time.

**
SILENT KEY: AUTHOR, ANTENNA INNOVATOR JOHN PORTUNE, W6NBC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An advisor and mentor to many, and a widely respected
expert on antennas, has become a Silent Key. We hear more about him
from Paul Braun WD9GCO.

PAUL: Many hams who have wanted to get more out of their antennas - or
simply learn more about them - no doubt turned to the words and
writings of John Portune, W6NBC. The retired KNBC TV broadcast
engineer, an experimenter and an innovator, was always generous with
his time and wisdom on the subject.

John became a Silent Key on the 6th of July. Born in 1938, he had been
a ham since 1965.

The Los Angeles, California native was a frequent presence - either via
Zoom or in person - at club meetings and ham expos needing his
expertise on everything from mag loop antennas to stealth antennas that
went undetected by homeowner associations.

He was a prolific writer, with bylines in QST and On the Air magazine
to his credit. He was also the author of a number of books, including
"Slot Antennas for Ham Radio: the Forgotten Antenna." Many hams turned
to John for his advice on how to get on the air from homes in
communities governed by home owner associations' antenna restrictions.
He was also known for hosting informal Monday morning chats on Zoom,
open sessions where friends gathered to compare notes and, of course,
ask questions. Or, as John wrote on his website: "Just fun."

John was 88.

This is Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(W6NBC.COM WEBSITE, QRZ.COM)

**
PENNSYLVANIA AMATEURS ADD STRENGTH TO RED CROSS EFFORTS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The season has been a busy one for public events in southeastern Pennsylvania and the American Red Cross found itself
leaning a little more heavily on assistance from amateur radio
operators. Travis Lisk N3ILS has those details.

TRAVIS: Emergency response and emergency preparedness go hand-in-hand
when it comes to public events, and facing a busy calendar of sports
matches, celebrations and public events throughout the region, Red
Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania disaster operators reached out to even
more local hams than ever. Members of the Philadelphia Amateur Radio
Emergency Service were, of course, there as always, serving as partners
in communication, but the Red Cross extended its call for assistance to
other ARES groups. According to a recent blog on the American Red Cross website, the call for help cast an even wider net and hams from the
nearby counties of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks answered
that call. The Red Cross and the ARES teams gained additional support
from the many amateurs who belong to the Red Cross Disaster Services
Technology team, led by Cliff Hotchkiss KC3PGT.

This was especially critical on the 22nd of June when the FIFA World
Cup came to the Philadelphia Stadium - and it was true for the five
matches that followed in that host city. Cliff said that there were
concerns that the size of the crowd at the stadium could overload and
interrupt cellular communication.

As the Red Cross noted in its blog: [quote]: "Their mission was simple
but important: ensure reliable communications remained available if
emergency responders and Red Cross teams needed them." [endquote]

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(AMERICAN RED CROSS)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for John, W5JON operating as V47JA from St.
Kitts, IOTA Number NA-104, on the 24th through to the 31st of August.
John will be using SSB and FT8 on various bands.

Mike N4XTT, will be active as J68TT from St. Lucia, IOTA Number NA-108,
from the 15th through to the 21st of August, operating on 40 through 10
metres. He may also be heard on 80 metres. He plans to operate
alongside J69Z at a number of POTA sites.

Henri, OH3JR and Anne, OH2YL will be on the air as OJ0JR and OJ0YL, respectively, from Market Reef, IOTA Number EU-053, from the 15th
through to the 22nd of August. They will be on 80 through 10 metres
using CW, SSB and FT8.

Listen for special event station ER35RM celebrating the 35th
anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Moldova. Operators
are using various modes on the HF bands until the 31st of August. The
actual independence date is the 27th of August.

For QSL information or other operating details for any of these
stations, visit QRZ.com

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: WHEN SOFTWARE GOES THE DISTANCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast by asking - and let's be
honest - how often do you update the software in your computer - or
even your radio? Well, here's a recent update on some instruments that
were installed nearly half a century ago. Kent Peterson KC0DGY has our
final story.

KENT: The upload wasn't simple: The update had to travel 13 billion
miles through deep space. When it reached its destination at NASA's
Voyager 2, it went to work, deactivating some of the probe's
higher-powered scientific instruments and substituting methods that
consume less power. NASA said in a statement that conserving power
means Voyager 2's instruments can continue operating for another year,
if not longer. The probe has been on the job since its launch in 1977.
NASA estimates that Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, now have about two-thirds of their original reserves of power which is drawn from
radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

The software update mission, which NASA calls "Big Bang," isn't quite
over yet. Voyager 1 is up next, and it's even farther away from
Earth. In fact, in November it will have traveled the distance of one light-day. That means the update will need to travel 16 billion miles,
or 26 billion kilometres, and hopefully won't need on-site tech
support.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, POPULAR SCIENCE, NASA)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT-Canada; AMSAT News; Bill,
PY2BIL; Canadian Space Agency; CNN; David Behar, K7DB; FCC; Greg
Mossop, G0DUB; IARU Region 1; NASA; National Communications magazine;
Popular Science; QRZ.com; Reuters; Scientific American;
shortwaveradio.de; SpaceNews; W6NBC.com; 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio
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
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