In this episode, we join  Martin Butler M1MRB, Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Edmund Spicer (M0MNG) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB)  to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief, and the episode's feature is Kit Building Advice.

We would like to thank Denny Morrison (GM1BAN) and our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

• Exam Standards Committee Annual Report
• Radio Signals Have 'Upward Propagation' Through Ice, Stone
• Wireless Institute of Australia Highlights Concerns Regarding IARU Restructuring Plan
• Senate Confirms Olivia Trusty to FCC
• ARRL Announces Logbook of The World® Systems Upgrade
• Local, County, and State Governments Proclaim Value of Amateur Radio
• 2025 ARRL Field Day this Weekend

I’ve been whining about the fact that for many years the 2m FM calling frequency, 146.52 MHz, was prohibited for use in VHF contests and Field Day. See The One Frequency You Should Never Use on Field Day. Well, the ARRL removed this restriction in 2015, so that issue has been resolved.

The CQ WW VHF contest also prohibited the use of 146.52 MHz, and up until now stuck with it. During the reconfiguration of this contest into two separate contests:  analog contest (CW/SSB/FM) and digital contest (FT8, FT4, etc.), the 146.52 rule was dropped. The rules now say:

Use of commonly recognized repeater frequencies is prohibited. Recognized FM simplex frequencies such as 146.49, .52, .55, and .58, and local-option simplex channels may be used for contest purposes.

Of course, this change is only relevant to the analog contest, as FM is not allowed in the digital contest.

This is a relatively minor change, not earth-shattering at all, but it cleans up an outdated rule in the CW WW VHF contest. This eliminates the need for me to explain to new VHF contesters that you can’t use the calling frequency.

73 Bob K0NR

The post CQ WW VHF Contest Allows 146.52 MHz appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

This weekend is the ARRL Field Day, a great opportunity for individual hams, small groups, and radio clubs to get on the ham bands and have some fun. But what is Field Day all about? The ARRL says this:

Field Day is ham radio’s open house. Every June, more than 31,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.

I have always thought that one of the great things about Field Day is that it can be tuned to whatever interests you or your club. It can be a Radio Contest, an Emergency Communications Exercise, a Radio Campout; a Food Fest, a Beer-Drinking Party, a Social Event, a SOTA or POTA activation,  a Public Relations event, an Educational Event, a Mentoring or Training event, or (very likely) some combination of these ideas. Or insert your idea here. In other words, “season to taste” and make it your own.

Always remember the Universal Purpose of Amateur Radio:

The Universal Purpose of Amateur Radio is To Have Fun Messing Around with Radios.

If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.

73 Bob K0NR

The post Field Day: Season to Taste appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Hello and welcome to the 583rd installment of Linux in the Ham Shack. In this short topics episode, the hosts discuss European countries transitioning to Linux, the upcoming hurricane season, open source CRM solution Huly, Morse Maven, DragonLog and much more. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

73 de The LHS Crew

My 10m sweep

My Hustler 4BTV has now been up to 5 years and I was thinking it was due time to take it down and give it a good cleaning. Before I do that I wanted to take a baseline SWR of each band and see if the SWR changes after the cleaning. I used my NanoVNA to take the SWR readings and in my opinion, my 15m readings looked a bit odd. I have posted a sweep of 10m and then 15m and you can see the large spikes in the 15m readings. I am not sure why this is and I am searching for some input. 

15m sweep

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 206 is now available for download.

Tommy explores the HackRF Porta Pack H2 SDR. Emile and the Simulated Emergency Test. George’s adventures in spot welding and Laptop Battery Replacement.

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