From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2502 for Friday, October 10th, 2025
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2502 with a release date of
Friday, October 10th, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The world's largest radio telescope gets RFI protection. The founder of the 13 Colonies special event becomes a
Silent Key -- and Sri Lanka launches its third CubeSat. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2502 comes your way
rightnow.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
WORLD'S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE GAINS RFI PROTECTION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As construction continues on the world's largest radio telescope - known as the Square Kilometre Array - Faraday cages have
been installed at the site in Australia as additional protection
against RFI. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what's happening there.

GRAHAM: Two Faraday cages have been put in place at the Square
Kilometre Array site in Western Australia to protect the giant radio
telescope from interference caused by RF leaks coming from inside the
data centre. The data centre and the array are being built in
Murchison, a remote location that provides a needed environment of
radio quietness. Despite the radio silence at the location, the data
centre's computers, which connect to the city of Perth, generate stray
RF, spurring the need for Faraday cages to prevent the electromagnetic
energy from escaping.

The international massive array, which will have 131,072 antennas, is
still a work in progress since it was started in 2022. The site in
Australia is home to the array's low-frequency antennas; South Africa
is housing the mid-frequency antennas. The observatory and headquarters
are at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in northwest England.

Although the array will still be a work in progress through to 2029,
Philip Diamond, director of the SKA Observatory, recently told The
Register website that tests may be run on the facility as early as
2027. He told The Register: [quote] "By then we will have the largest
physical low-frequency telescope on the planet." [endquote]

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(THE REGISTER.COM)

**
SRI LANKA'S BIRDS-X CUBESAT IS IN ORBIT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Six years after launching its first nano satellite, Sri
Lanka has launched its third - and the ham radio CubeSat is orbiting
the Earth. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us what to listen for.

JIM: The BIRDS-X Dragonfly CubeSat has marked a milestone for Sri
Lanka, becoming that nation's third nano satellite in space. Developed
with help from the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies
an the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan, it began its orbit last
month following its launch from SpaceX-33.

Its mission is to serve as an APRS digipeater and to test a new
low-cost communication system. It will also demonstrate the relay of store-and-forward data. Its callsign is JG6YOW. The APRS FM digipeater frequency is 145.825 MHZ and its CW beacon is on 437.375 MHz.

The 2U CubeSate project was funded by Amateur Radio Digital
Communications. To file a reception report for the CW beacon, follow
the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org.

[DO NOT READ: https://tinyurl.com/mw35fzmc ]

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.


(THEMORNING, BIRDS-X PROJECT,COM, SATNOGS.ORG)

**
FCC DENIES APPROVAL OF 4 CHINESE-OWNED ELECTRONICS LABS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, the FCC has continued its actions against foreign-owned laboratories that test imported electronics for sale and
use in the country. Kent Peterson KC0DGY has that report.

KENT: Four foreign-controlled testing laboratories that evaluate
electronics imported for use in the United States have been denied
recognition by the Federal Communications Commission.

Just days before the shutdown that affected much of the US government, including the FCC, the commission announced that the four laboratories,
like the 11 the commission denied in early September, were controlled
by Chinese interests. That makes for a total of 15 such labs rejected
so far by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, as part of
the administration's goal to give US-owned companies the responsibility
of certifying electronics for import and sale in the US. All approved
equipment must demonstrate that it is not a threat to US national
security and must comply with FCC standards.

This move is the latest following the commission's adoption in May of
the order. At the time the order was announced, the FCC disclosed that
about 75 percent of all electronics sold in the US are being tested by
Chinese labs.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FCC)

**

SILENT KEY: KEN VILLONE, KU2US, FOUNDER OF 13 COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The founder of a popular and much-loved annual
tradition - the 13 Colonies Special Event - has become a Silent Key.
We learn more about him from Travis Lisk N3ILS.

TRAVIS: With the birth of the 13 Colonies Special event here in the US
as a four-day event in 2009, Ken Villone, KU2US, began a ham radio
revolution. Inspired by the fun of the ARRL Sweepstakes, the military
veteran had hoped to organize a special on-the-air event that would
spotlight American history and celebrate the nation's independence
during the days surrounding the July 4th holiday. As Ken told the ARRL
earlier this year, the 2008 Sweepstakes spurred him to try his luck
[quote] "....for one year only, to see what happens and to have some
fun." [end quote]

The man who made sure that the fun would continue each year afterward
became a Silent Key on the 2nd of October following a lengthy illness.
In the years before his death, the 13 Colonies event had become an internationally popular activity with bonus stations and chasers around
the world.

Only weeks before this year's event, with his health worsening, Ken
transferred the event's leadership to his friend Tony Jones N4ATJ,
coordinator of North Carolina's K2J station. With the help of Bob
Josuweit, WA3PZO, the 13 Colonies event went forward. Ken stayed active
as the state manager for the K2A operators in New York. Tony told
Newsline that the event's 2025 certificate was one that Ken himself
designed -- and that only one change was made to it so it reflected
that the event was honoring him, as its founder, this year.

One event operator wrote on Facebook: [quote] "Ken had no idea just
what he had created. What started as a small event, over the next 17
years became one of the most participated and celebrated Ham Radio
events, not only in the United States, but worldwide." [endquote]

Next year's event will mark the 250th anniversary of the nation's
independence and Tony will be looking for ways to mark that milestone
while continuing to honor Ken. He told Newsline: [quote] "I will miss
Ken and his guidance." [endquote]

Ken was 76.

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(TONY JONES N4ATJ, LEGACY.COM, FACEBOOK, ARRL)

**
FLORIDA BAPTIST CHURCHES GROW EMERGENCY RADIO NETWORK

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: People in Florida who turn to their churches in times
of need will soon find refuge there in another kind of storm -hurricane
season - with the help of amateur radio. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us
about creation of a new church radio network-in-progress.

JACK: His role as the associational mission strategist for the Marion
Baptist Association doesn't require Mark Weible, N4GPA, to have a ham
license - but Mark, a former pastor, took his FCC test successfully a
year ago and since then he has been finding ways to harness ham radio's
power for churches' emergency communications during hurricane season.

The Ocala, Florida Baptist association has already added a radio shack
and has plans for a tower. Under Mark's direction, the group is also
looking to create a network of hams within its 67 member churches.
Pastors are helping Mark locate licensees within their congregations. Meanwhile, the association has a telescoping radio antenna donated
after an upgrade done by the Marion Emergency Radio Team, a radio group
Mark belongs to which handles disaster communications at the county's
Emergency Operations Center.

Mark plans to give church leaders a tour of the association's radio
shack in the hopes it will inspire them to install a shack for their
own local congregations. He told the Baptist Press that church
involvement makes good sense. He said [quote]: "If we were to have a hurricane, I'd need to know which churches have power, which churches
are not damaged and which churches can host disaster relief teams. I'd
need to know which churches need help and which ones can help."
[endquote] Meanwhile, he is busy being helpful even without a radio in
hand. His chaplaincy training assists him in helping distraught
families cope during or after disasters.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(BAPTIST PRESS, FLBAPTIST.ORG)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the AA7WI repeater in Tucson, Arizona on Fridays at 7 pm local time.

**
FCC CHARGES HAM WITH ILLEGAL 40M OPERATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Even with the government shutdown here in the US, the
clock is still ticking for the FCC to receive a response from the
Florida ham charged with illegal one-way communications on the air.

A notice of violation was issued in late September to Mike F. Conte;
KA2FPZ, for having operated last March on 7.200 MHz, engaging in
apparent one-way communication with a station for which there is no
active amateur radio callsign. According to the Notice of Violation, he confirmed to the agent from the Enforcement Bureau that his
transmission was a one-way communication.

The FCC has ordered him to submit a response and explanation in writing
within 20 days of the notice, which was dated the 29th of September.
According to a notice on the FCC website, the shutdown has no impact on
filings related to enforcement matters. A statement on the website
reads: [quote] "Except as specified by the Enforcement Bureau, there
are no extensions of deadlines relating to enforcement investigations
and other enforcement proceedings that involve specific parties."
[endquote]

(FCC)

**
IARU FORUM HOSTS TOP DX CONTESTER, OFFERING TIPS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: This month, contesters who are used to hearing a
familiar callsign on the air from Japan will get a chance to hear him
off the air - in a forum designed to help them sharpen their own
contest scores. We have those details from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: There's no guarantee that Katsuhiro Kondou, JH5GHM, will be
giving away any of the secrets that have made him one of Japan's top DX contesters but....you never know. Don, as he is also known, is
presenting a one-hour virtual talk to DX contesters - or those aspiring
to become one - on the 19th of October. His presentation on Zoom begins
at 0600 UTC.

IARU Region 3 is hosting the workshop because, according to the
region's website, the number of contesters in Asia has been steadily
growing. Don had been an avid contester as a teenager in the 1970s but
after a hiatus of a decade or so in the '90s, he returned to ham radio
and to contesting in 2010.

To hear his tips and maybe give yourself an edge in the next big event, register by following the link that appears in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://forms.gle/xL74BfWALEHoDmDD9 ]

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(IARU REGION 3)

**
HURRICANE WATCH NET LAUNCHES PODCAST

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Most of you have certainly heard the Hurricane Watch
Net on the air but.....have you heard it as a podcast or even seen it
on YouTube? Now you can do either - or both - as we hear from Randy Sly
W4XJ. But first, listen carefully:

<INSERT CLIP> [sounds of storm building, followed by voice] "Hello
everyone and welcome to the very first episode of HWN Report, the
official podcast of the Hurricane Watch Net. I'm Bobby Graves."

RANDY: With that introduction - and some stormy sound effects - the
Hurricane Watch Net celebrates 60 years of service to the United States National Hurricane Center by entering the world of podcasting. What you
heard is the introduction to this new program which brings stories,
people, and the history of the net to viewers and listeners. Episode 1
of "The HWN Report," hosted by net manager, Bobby Graves, KB5HAV,
premiered in early September on YouTube, featuring a tribute to Jerry
Murphy, K8YUW, the founder of the net.

Graves told ARNewsline that the purpose of the podcast is to [quote]
"help others understand the full role of amateur radio during
disasters, home or abroad, helping the Hurricane Center and forecasters
gather more data - near-real-time ground-truth weather data - and help
people to be better prepared before a hurricane. [endquote]

He announced later that by popular demand, in addition to YouTube, an
audio version of each program will be available on services such as
Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and iHeart Podcasts.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

(BOBBY GRAVES, KB5HAV)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for the Radio Club d'Haiti using the
callsign 4V1SB through to the end of October. This is a special
callsign commemorating the role Haiti played in assisting the
revolutionary efforts of Simon Bolivar, who helped win independence
from Spain for many South American countries. The callsign bears his
initials. QSL via N2OO.

Mitsuru, JE1HXZ, is on the air as JE1HXZ/6 from Kita-Daito Island, IOTA
Number AS-047, from the 8th through to the 15th of October, using CW,
SSB, RTTY and FT8/FT4 on 160-6 metres. QSL via LoTW.

Listen for the Mediterraneo DX Club which is sending a large
multinational team to Sierra Leone using the callsign 9L8MD. They will
operate from the 30th of October through to the 10th of November, using
CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8/FT4 on 160-6 metres. QSL via IK2VUC.

Six members of the DX Obsessed Group will be calling QRZ as FW5K from
Wallis Island, IOTA number OC-054, from the 19th through to the 31st of October. Listen for them on 160-6 metres using CW, SSB, FT8/FT4 and
RTTY. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.


(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: A TRIBUTE TO THE HELPING HAMS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: For our final story, we honor our mentors, our Elmers
-all those more experienced hams who are there to help newcomers. This
is the story of one ham's THANK YOU to them all, as we hear from Paul
Braun WD9GCO.

PAUL: One of the most time-honored traditions in amateur radio is that
of being an Elmer - a more experienced ham willing to answer questions
and pass on knowledge to newer hams.

The origin of the term is still up for discussion, but the impact they
have on the hobby is not.

On October 3rd, 4th and 5th, Rich Guerrera, KB1FGC, was on the air with
a special event celebrating Elmers - particularly the ones who shaped
his own life as a ham.

In an email to Newsline, Guerrera said that two things inspired him to
do the event r-" articles he'd read on QRZ.com about hams who had
helped others get into the hobby and the positive impact that they had
on their early years as hams. He also drew from his personal experience
with those hams who had given him a warm response and encouragement
when he first started out.

Guerrera said that operators had confirmed approximately 100 QSOs
during the event and received positive responses from hams they worked.
He's planning on doing it again next year, and said that there might be
a European team as well.

On a personal note, I was fortunate to have two exceptional Elmers as a teenager - Bob Heil, K9EID and Steve Ramsey, K9SR who had been friends
since they were kids. Sadly, I lost Bob last March and Steve on
September 26th of this year. But the lessons they taught me and their
memories continue to drive me as a ham, and inspire me to pass along
what knowledge I have when someone asks a question. Elmering should
continue - there's always something to learn in this hobby that someone
else has already tried.

I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO

**
If you haven't sent in your ham radio haiku yet, what's been stopping
you? Visit our website at arnewsline.org and as you compose your ode to
your favorite online 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 you are the winner of this week's
challenge. The winner gets a shout-out on our website, where everyone
can find the winning haiku.

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur News Daily;ARRL; Baptist Press; Birds-X Project;
Bobby Graves, KB5HAV; David Behar K7DB; DXNews; 425DX Bulletin;
Facebook; FCC; FLBaptist.org; 425DXBulletin; IARU Region 3; Legacy.com;
The Morning; Ofcom; QRZ.com; SatNogs.org; Scottish Microwave
Roundtable; TheRegister.com; shortwaveradio.de; Tony Jones N4ATJ;
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 2025. Amateur Radio Newsline retains
ownership of its material even when retransmitted elsewhere. All rights
are reserved.

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