Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 434
FCC Ham “Call Book” in PDF and CSV formats
The call book supports Ham Radio enthusiasts who suffer little-to-no internet bandwidth while chasing QSOs — or when your favorite search site goes down for (un)scheduled maintenance.
Playground Amateur Radio Club
Amateur Radio has never been more affordable
So why do some things seem so expensive?
QRPer
Ragchew Lounge
A relaxed place where operators can drop in, meet other hams, have a chat and make new radio friends from around the world.
avelichat
The very last new commercial AM radio station in the USA
Here’s what we should do next.
Off Grid Ham
OMD — Optical Modem
33 KB/s file transfer via light, adaptive OFDM with per-carrier bit loading, zero-install browser receiver.
Muggy86
An Outside the Box look at the 48 inch base loaded vertical antenna
It’s not the smartest idea really is it?
Ham Radio Outside the Box
Email QSLs: Sense or nonsense?
Let me lay out the pros and cons.
DB4SCW
At last! FT8 on iPad & iPhone
It’s a great experience with Greyline FT8 and Digirig Lite.
Andrew Woodward
The signal never died
Peter I, Bouvet, and the operators who carried DX forward.
KA3DRR
New Jersey Amateur Radio plates
Photos of NJ Ham Radio license plates going back to 1959.
moini.net
Four Days in August (Hunstville)
These are hands-on, conversational, bring-your-own-questions gatherings focused on doing the thing, solving the problem, and sharing what actually works in the field.
Temporarily Offline
Video
Cootie-style single paddle CW key
A compact portable single paddle key with a sideswiper style lever, tight action, and small contact spacing.
W4ARB
VARA Winlink email speeds with Mercury HF
Special thanks to KO0OOO for hosting possibly the first Mercury HF Winlink server.
KM6LYW
Morning Morse Code in the Alberta Badlands
Join me for a Sunday morning 3-park rove in the Badlands of Southern Alberta Canada.
VE6LK
Get Amateur Radio Weekly in your inbox.
Sign-up here
Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.
My 2025 Ford F-150 Radio Install (VGC N7600)
I recently purchased a 2025 Ford F-150 truck that I am enjoying very much. I traded in my 2013 F-150 using all kinds of justifications but mostly I just wanted a new truck. That could be a story for another day. Of course, that brings up the need to install a ham radio in it. ... Read more
The post My 2025 Ford F-150 Radio Install (VGC N7600) appeared first on Above Average Terrain.
Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].
LHS Episode #625: Sebastián Delmont KI2D – HaLo Next Edition
Show Notes
Featured Topic:
- Interview with Sebastián Delmont (KI2D)
- Sebastián was last with us on Episode 573 https://lhs.fyi/573 talking to us about Ham2K Portable Logger (PoLo) Project.
- Sebastián expanded his popular mobile Ham2K PoLo (Portable Logger) into a next-generation desktop logging application code-named HaLo (Ham2K Logger Next Edition). It brings the clean, modern interface of the mobile app to Windows, macOS, Linux, and Web environments, utilizing physical keyboards and larger screens
- Key Features of Ham2K Logger Next Edition:
- Cross-Platform: Built natively for Windows, macOS, Linux, and web browsers.
- Optimized for Desktops: Tailored to leverage full physical keyboards, wide screen real estate, and advanced radio/CAT control.
- POTA and Contest Friendly: Retains the smooth workflow used for Parks on the Air (POTA) alongside modern template support.
- Free and Open Source: Continues the community-driven, open-source philosophy of the original mobile PoLo project
- Resources:
- HaLo Download: https://lhs.fyi/M2
Announcements & Feedback:
- Announcements:
- Support the show!
- Support us via Patreon, Paypal, Merch, Sharing the Podcast via Social Media, and Rating Us in your Podcast Application!
- We need your feedback!
- Comments, Questions, Show Topic Ideas!
- Memorial Service for Russ, K5TUX
- There will be a memorial service held for Russ at our home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri on November 1, 2026. Everyone is welcome!
- Facebook event page: https://lhs.fyi/mem
- Comments, questions, etc: [email protected]
- Support the show!
Subscribers & Supporters:
- Facebook
- David DesOrmeaux
- Mastodon
- Discord
- GHzandOctain
- Kevin-W8NI
- Live Show Participants
- Mike - K6GTE
Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].
ICQPodcast Episode 490 – Ham Radio ATU’s
In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Ed Durrant DD5LP and Frank Howell K4FMH to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief, and the episode's feature is Ham Radio ATU's.
We would like to thank our and monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate
- Father-And-Son Dxpedition Team Adds An APRS Mission
- Space Station Logs Historic First ARISS Contact with Kenya
- UK's Leading Observatory Earmarked for Shutdown
- An Incredible Experience. In the Austrian Alps, No less!
- HamSCI Meteor Scatter QSO Parties Target the Perseids
- Examinations Standards Committee Annual Report
- International Dog Day and International Cat Day Special Event
Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 433
Breaking – OFDM-AB – IP400 Refactored
The Amateur Radio data communications revolution of the 21st century.
Zero Retries
Geographic analysis of US Amateur Radio licenses using FCC and Census data
Where have new grants grown over the past X months? Do older counties have higher ham density? (ecological correlation)
KK4SW
Amber Silver Alert net Program (ASAP)
How about passing traffic from field deployed amateur operators to local law enforcement about the status and progress of an AMBER alert search team?
KF5THB
ZRDC 2026 registration now open
This year’s conference will bring together Hams and people interested in the technological innovations in Amateur Radio to explore and listen to expert speakers, regarding various topics pertinent to digital communications.
Zero Retries
How to become a Radio Amateur
When you discover a good thing it’s human nature to want to share it with others.
KE9V
Choosing FT8 frequency & interval on 6 meters
There are behaviours that are unique to 6 meters due to the unique character of DX propagation.
Pattern and Match
bkjbbs
Packet radio BBS, KISS, and AX.25 library for Node.js.
jfedyczak
If your cell phone doesn’t work during a disaster, ‘Look for the houses with an antenna’
The West Contra Costa Emergency Radio Group, founded in 2018, has grown to include dozens of members in multiple cities who have the technology to communicate during emergencies.
Richmondside
My radio club asked me to assemble and evaluate their new Hustler repeater antenna
Anybody who may aspire to build their own 3-element stacked 5/8-wave 2-meter antenna will find this material valuable.
K8EBR
cw-dit: Cross-platform multi-channel CW/Morse decoder in Rust
With an SDR, skim every CW signal across the radio’s full sampled bandwidth.
KK4SW
Building a homemade weather radar with a HackRF or PlutoSDR and salvaged automatic RV dish
After nearly being hit by a tornado that NEXRAD didn’t see coming, Koakno decided to build his own DIY self-contained mobile weather radar built from a $5 salvaged RV satellite dome.
RTL-SDR
Video
APRS net control software
Net Central works in a real net environment, covering the check-in workflow, live map tracking, messaging alerts, and the close net reporting process, built for Amateur Radio operators who want a modern, automated approach to running APRS based nets for EmComm, ARES, and general Amateur Radio net control operations.
KM4ACK
Get Amateur Radio Weekly in your inbox.
Sign-up here
Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.
LHS Episode #624: National Jamboree 2026
Show Notes
Featured Topic:
- Interview with Bill, NE4RD, about the 2026 Scouting America National Jamboree
- K2BSA - https://lhs.fyi/pn
- National Jamboree - https://lhs.fyi/LP
Announcements & Feedback:
- Announcements:
- Support the show!
- Support us via Patreon, Paypal, Merch, Sharing the Podcast via Social Media, and Rating Us in your Podcast Application!
- We need your feedback!
- Comments, Questions, Show Topic Ideas!
- Memorial Service for Russ, K5TUX
- There will be a memorial service held for Russ at our home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri on November 1, 2026. Everyone is welcome!
- Facebook event page: https://lhs.fyi/mem
- Comments, questions, etc: [email protected]
- Support the show!
Subscribers & Supporters:
- Paid Patreon
- Thor (N7JCT)
- Paypal
- Dillon Angle
- Facebook
- Dave Orio
- Gregory Wood-Ward Dyer
- X / Twitter
- @bluskyfarm
- Mastodon
- Discord
- schnitlzd with fancy font
- Mushroom Chef
- JRantz
- T!m
- Peas
- Live Show Participants
- Steve - KJ5T
- Tucker -K5FAZ
Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].
CHOTA 2026
Go to Church on September 12, 2026…and Bring a Radio!
20M US-UK calling frequency at top of each hour: 14.247MHz
It’s nearing the time of Churches and Chapels on the Air again! Here in the U.S., Churches and Chapels on the Air (CHOTA) is a fairly new concept. A few years ago, I was fortunate to play a leading role a couple in getting a few operators on this side of the pond to get on the air for this very special event. For over a half century now, it has been led by WACRAL, The World Association of Christian Amateurs and Listeners. As a regular participant, I recently received this email from WACRAL:
Thanks to all who have entered CHOTA this year – Saturday 12 September. If you are hoping to put a station on and have not let me know please reply to this email.The latest list should be on the WACRAL site. Many thanks for your support over the last 20 years CHOTA has been running. With every Blessing , 73 John G3XYF
Please send your entry info to John G3XYF directly (not through me) at: [email protected].
This year, Mike N5DU and I will be activating the historic St. Marks Episcopal Church in Raymond MS. I’ve been there several times both during and outside of Sunday services. At the top of every hour, we plan to QSY to the 20 meter band with a target of 14.247 mhz in order to attempt to “jump the pond” and work UK stations. Let’s make that happen this year although it will require UK stations to stay on beyond the usual 4pm UTC ending mark.
Here is a bit of history for this beautiful historic church:
https://stmarksepiscopalraymondms.org/
St. Mark’s Episcopal, the oldest church structure in the town of Raymond, Mississippi, was organized as a congregation in 1837. However, the church was not built until 1854. The National Register of Historic Places makes reference to St. Mark’s … “The church dates from the same time as most of the antebellum homes in town. The church utilizes both Greek and Gothic revival motifs. ” During the Civil War the church suffered a great deal of damage while being used as a hospital for Union soldiers. In 1866 Bishop Green stated … “the church was robbed of its benches during the time it was used as a hospital.” Blood stains are still visible on the old pine floors.
There is a Fellowship Hall behind this church. We will set up our station on the patio there (in the shade and under a fan!). N5DU and I plan to be on the air by 8am Central Time, if not before. We will likely use a vertical antenna with a wire antenna as backup if we can hang it properly. It will be publicized locally for hams and non-hams to visit to watch and participate if desired.
For readers of this article who want to activate a church, note that it was a mega-public relations hit in 2023 when I activated my church in Ridgeland MS. So consider that when you plan whether to participate this year. It can be a highly effective way to publicize amateur radio in your community and in ways that are not in emergency situations. We can benefit from a diversity of media attention as long as it is positive.
Frank Howell, K4FMH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Mississippi, USA. Contact him at [email protected].















