From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2527 for Friday, April 3rd, 2026 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2527 with a release date of Friday, April
3rd, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams head toward the moon. The Azores gets its
first 10-meter repeater -- and Newsline's April Fool's correspondent,
Pierre Pullinmyleg, is back with some big news - or not. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2527 comes your way
rightnow.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS ON MOON MISSION ABOARD ARTEMIS 2

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us into space - specifically,
looking toward the moon. Delayed weeks ago due to technical issues,
NASA's Artemis 2 mission lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center
on the 1st of April, carrying a crew of four astronauts - three of whom
have amateur radio licenses. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor
Glover, KI5BKC, Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, and Christina Koch, now embark
on a test flight that will pave the way for an eventual return of a
human presence on the moon.

Meanwhile, four amateur radio operators here on Earth are among the
group of 34 volunteers chosen by NASA to track transmissions from the
Orion spacecraft during its 10-day journey.

(NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**
FCC CHARGES AMATEUR WITH EMERGENCY-SERVICE INTERFERENCE

SKEETER/ANCHOR: An amateur radio operator is being called the source of
radio interference that affected emergency service frequencies in one
part of Pennsylvania last year, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Kent Peterson KC0DGY picks up the story from here.

KENT: The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has charged a ham radio operator in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania with interfering with UHF frequencies
used by 9-1-1 emergency services.

The FCC identified the ham as David Knudtson, KD3ASC. According to the
agency, the Pittsburgh amateur was transmitting on 470.4375 MHz from a
handheld transceiver last July, prompting a complaint from the county's Emergency Services that there was interference on its dispatch channel.
Using direction-finding, the bureau's enforcement agents tracked the
signal to Knudtson's home where, they said, he showed them a Baofeng
BTech UV-Pro HT - which he surrendered to them.

The handheld radio is capable of transmitting on VHF and UHF amateur
radio bands as well as private land mobile radio bands. The FCC said
that the radio had been programmed to monitor the EMS channel and that
the "audio relay" was enabled, permitting traffic from one channel to
be retransmitted on another.

The FCC notice is dated March 25th. Knudtson must respond to the
Enforcement Bureau within 10 days of that date.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(RADIOWORLD, FCC)

**
SSTV FROM ISS MARKING MAJOR MOMENTS IN SPACE

SKEETER: The next set of images to be transmitted from the
International Space Station via SSTV will mark a number of high-profile
moments in space. Watch for them this month. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us
what a few of them are.

JACK: The 65th anniversary of the first human space flight by cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin, the 45th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle flight
and the 100th anniversary of the world's first liquid-propelled rocket
launch by Robert Goddard. These are three of several space achievements
being commemorated by Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
through its selection of images to be transmitted as part of SSTV
Series 31. The SSTV Mode will be Robot 36 and there will be two minutes
between transmissions. Transmissions will begin on the 10th of April
and continue through to the 14th of April. The frequency will be
437.55, plus or minus Doppler shift.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(ARISS, AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**
AZORES AMATEURS HOSTING THEIR FIRST 10M REPEATER

SKEETER/ANCHOR: The Azores Amateur Radio Association CU2ARA is marking
an important anniversary this year with the installation of its first
10-metre repeater. The group says its presence in the North Atlantic
holds great promise for contacts between hams in Europe and North
America. Dave Lee M7TLB tells us more.

DAVE: On São Miguel Island, the largest island in the Azores off the
coast of Portugal, a new 10-metre FM repeater stands ready for QSOs.
This is the first 10-metre repeater for the association, which is
marking the 50th year since its founding.

The 50-watt repeater transmits on 29.630 MHz, with a -100 kHz shift,
giving it a receive frequency of 29.530 MHz. It has a CTCSS tone of
88.5 Hz.

Bruno, CS8ABG, told Newsline that challenges in installation prompted
the group to install the receiver and transmitter separately. The
transmitter is located in the center of the island and the receiver is
about 20 km away on the western side. Both are at an altitude of 900
metres.The sites are connected using 5 GHz Wi-Fi links.

The site holds promise for other connections too, according to Bruno.
There is a Raspberry Pi system with a private AllStarLink connection
that may someday provide a link to the group's VHF repeaters that are
part of the Azores AllStarLink network.

Bruno told Newsline that the east-west radiation pattern of the dipoles
favour propagation between Europe and North America so DXers, of
course, are very welcome.

This is Dave Lee M7TLB.

(BRUNO, CS8ABG; PAULO, CU2CO)

**
IRELAND'S SOLE 10M REPEATER IN SERVICE AGAIN

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Another 10-metre repeater - this one in Ireland - is
getting a huge welcome back from amateurs. It is back on the air and is expected to be very busy, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The repeater in Carndonagh, County Conegal - EI0IPG - is no
longer silent. Storms had taken the nation's only 10-metre repeater out
of service until recently. According to a report by the Irish Radio Transmitters Society, the repeater, which is maintained by the
Carndonagh Amateur Radio Club, is receiving an especially hearty
welcome among experimenters because an increase in solar activity
promises a greater likelihood of trans-Atlantic and continental FM communication.

Its frequencies are 29.580 MHz input and 29.680 MHz output, with a 67
Hz CTCSS tone. The repeater also offers access via Echolink Node 29007.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(WIA, IRTS)

**
VOICE OF AMERICA MUSEUM TO EXTEND HOURS FOR HAMVENTION

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Although the liveliest daytime action will likely be at
the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio, in May, that Hamvention
epicenter isn't the only big draw for visiting amateurs that weekend.
Sel Embee KB3TZD tells us about another Hamvention weekend tradition.

SEL: The National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting is welcoming Hamvention guests by offering extended hours from Thursday May 14th
through to Sunday May 17th. The museum and the West Chester Amateur
Radio Association, which is headquartered there, will be sharing a wide
variety of exhibits that include a disc jockey's setup from a vintage
radio station, vintage ham and shortwave equipment and the Voice of
America's first transmitter, dating from 1942. The club's ham radio
station, WC8VOA, will be sharing access to its shack - so come with
your license and be prepared to get on the air. Admission is $10 at the
door. For each day's extended hours and for directions on how to find
the museum from Xenia, visit the website voamuseum.org or wc8voa.org

The independent, nonprofit museum in West Chester, Ohio, is not
affiliated with the US government's Voice of America service.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(VOICE OF AMERICA MUSEUM)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the CQ0UARS and CQ0EARS repeaters in Aveiro Portugal on Saturdays and
Sundays at noon local time.

**
NEW ENTRY LEVEL LICENSES FOR NORWEGIAN AMATEURS

SKEETER/ANCHOR: New regulations in Norway include the creation of an entry-level license. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has the details.

JEREMY: The Norwegian Communications Authority has approved an
entry-level licence for amateurs in that country as one of several
changes taking effect. The entry-level, or "limited" 10-watt licence
covers the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 10, 6 and 2-metre bands as well as the 70-centimetre band. Other changes include the removal of limitations to
hams wishing to operate stations remotely, especially in Norway's
overseas territories. The changes also affect the 23cm band, which will
now follow IARU recommendations more directly.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

**
'QUEENS OF THE MOUNTAINS' ACTIVITY BACK FOR 3RD YEAR

SKEETER/ANCHOR: This has already been a big year for YLs to scale to
new heights. First, there was the WWA-YL Award that united women radio operators calling CQ from around the world in March. Next up is the
third annual Queens of the Mountains, a special Summits on the Air
Weekend event. There is some added incentive this year for chasers, as
we hear from Travis Lisk N3ILS.

TRAVIS: Activators in the third annual Queens of the Mountains YL SOTA
special event will be competing for the same certificates as before
-but this year, chasers are getting a new chance for recognition. The
new award is designed for chasers who contact at least three YL
activators in different countries or different US states.

This is the second year the activity has drawn global participation, so
once again, YL to YL DX QSOs will be recognized with a WWW-World Wide
Women's certificate.

The organizers, Amy AG7GP, and Paula, K9IR [KAY NINE EYE ARR],
announced the event's return on the SOTA Reflector and have set the
event to start at 0000 UTC on June 13th and end at 2359 UTC on
June14th.

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

NOMINATE OUR NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

SKEETER/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that we are accepting
nominations for Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial
Young Ham of the Year award for 2026. If you know a talented, involved
and active licensed radio operator who is 18 years of age of younger
and is a resident of the continental United States, please submit his
or her name for consideration. You'll find a nomination form under the
awards tab of our website, arnewsline-dot-org. Send in documentation
supporting your nominee and get it to us by the May 31st deadline. This
year's winner will be joining a very distinguished group of young
amateurs who have continued to make a difference in the world of ham
radio - and their communities.

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, you have until the 10th of April to work Bernard,
DL2GAC, using the callsign H44MS from Malaita Island in the Solomon
Islands, IOTA Number OC-047. He has been spotted doing FT8 and SSB.

Special callsigns DA0ANT, DM50ANT and DP50ANT are on the air
celebrating a half-century of German research in Antarctica until the
30th of April. Listen as well for DM50GFS, marking the 50th anniversary
of the now-decommissioned, ex-GDR Georg Forster Station and DP200GVN
for the 200-year anniversary of the birth of Georg von Neumayer (NOY MY
YERR), after whom West Germany's Antarctic research stations have been
named.

Listen for Take [TAH-KAY], JG8NQJ/JD1 operating until the middle of May
from the weather station on Minami Torishima, IOTA Number OC-073. He is
using mostly CW with some FT8.

Jacek, SP5APW will be active as 3D2JK from Lakeba Island, IOTA Number
OC-095 from the 17th through to the 22nd of April. He will be using FT8
and SSB on 20-10 metres, He will also be on 6 metres using mainly FT8.

(425DXNEWS, WIA)

**
KICKER: A SYMPHONY OF SIGNALS IN TIME FOR APRIL FOOL'S DAY

SKEETER/ANCHOR: April 1st has come and gone but Newsline's own Pierre Pullinmyleg, is here once again. He's the only member of our team of correspondents who works one day a year: on April Fool's Day. Pierre,
you're no fool - what news do you have for us this year?

PIERRE: Responding to pressure from a dozen American symphony
orchestras and a group of internationally celebrated virtuosos, the FCC
is setting aside part of the 20 metre band to let licensed amateur
radio operators play their violins, flutes, bassoons and other
instruments -- or to sing opera. In fact, opera-singing hams in search
of DX contacts will be encouraged call Q-R-Zed by singing compositions
by Mozart, Verdi or Strauss.

To prepare for these repurposed frequencies, the FCC will now require
music recitals to be part of the VE sessions. After completing the
written part of the test, each candidate must present a 10-minute
performance on the instrument of their choice - or they may sing.
Starting in June, all FCC license-preparation classes will include six
months of music lessons. Knowing your harmonics is, after all, so very important, mes amis.

Ah, but NO drummers are welcome on this new part of 20-metres.
Percussion instruments will be sent to the CW portion!!!

Already there has been protest from some amateur radio clubs around the
US who are asking why violinists and opera singers are being allowed on
20 metres but no rock 'n rollers, no banjo players and not even a
single hip-hop artist. The FCC has taken up the question and is
reportedly considering part of the 2 metre band next.....or
perhaps7200.

This is Pierre Pullinmyleg with a song in my heart -- and on the
radiotoo.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT News; ARISS; Bruno CS8ABG;
David Behar, K7DB; FCC; 425DX News; Paulo, CU2CO; QRZ.com Forums; Radio
World; Radio Society of Great Britain; shortwaveradio.de; Space News;
SOTA Reflector; Voice of America Museum; 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 Skeeter Nash N5ASH in Jonesboro Arkansas
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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