In this episode, Martin M1MRB / W9ICQ is joined by ED Durrant DD5LP, Chris Howard M0TCH, Martin Rothwell M0SGL, and Dan Romanchik KB6NU to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief, and this episodes feature is - Q and A 2016.

• Pirate Radio in the Digital Age
• 2016 HF Propagation Update
• Northern Ireland Radio Star
• FCC Bans Custom Firmware
• ARRL National Field Day 2016
• Amateur Radio Parity Act Agreement
• Radio Ham Praised for Service to Emergency Planning
• 100 Sprite Satellites to be Deployed
• Yaesu Extend UK Warranties

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 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.

With the QSL's from spring's EME activity gradually showing up in the mail, June's EME moonrise action should keep the postman busy next month as well.

Dmitrij - UA3PTW - Initial #60

Vlad - RZ3BA/1 - Initial #61

Oleg, UX5UL - Initial #72

Val - UT6UG - Initial #73 ...both Oleg & Val are in the same city

Jorg - DK3WG - Initial #74

Bernie - ZS4TX - Initial #75

I have about five days of favorable moonrises directly over the ocean in front of my antenna (9el m2 Yagi), and a couple of hours each day before the moon gets too high for my antenna as it lacks any elevation control. After five days the moonrises usually move too far to the south and I am pointing into too many RF-absorbing Douglas Firs on my neighbor's property.

I started on Tuesday morning, which according the EME data graph shown below, should have been the best of the week since the moon was as close as it would get and the skynoise was low but unexpectedly, no signals at all were heard!

courtesy: http://www.mmmonvhf.de/eme.php

On Wednesday, things should not have been as favorable since the moon was another 5000 miles further away, but the magic of radio did not disappoint ... my first CQ, with the moon barely 1 degree high, brought something that has never occurred here before ... three replies!

I soon completed three new initials with my QRP (140 watts) station ... RW1AY (# 76 ), DK3BU (#77 ) and DK5SO (#78 ). I have no idea why Tuesday was so poor or why Wednesday was so good, but I'll take it.

Today's conditions were also good again, with my first CQ being answered by N2CV in Florida, for #79.

Barry - NC2V - Initial #79  4 x 20 el array

About an hour later, the strong CQ of YU7AA was heard who responded to my first call. After that his signal faded for some time and eventually returned to speaker quality level and the contact was completed for #80 ... I keep wondering if or when I'll run out of stations large enough to work.

Jozef - YU7AA - Initial #80

Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but as the moon climbs further away and rises further to the south, working anyone will be a nice surprise. I've usually avoided summer EME work, as often the best moonrises are very close to the sunrise, making it difficult for bigger stations to hear me when pointing near the sun. After June's good luck, it seems that summers might require more attention ... the next few months might be more interesting than I had thought.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

This is the full length video of the 2016 Dayton Hamvention, Ham Nation forum.

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George Thomas, W5JDX, is co-host of AmateurLogic.TV, an original amateur radio video program hosted by George Thomas (W5JDX), Tommy Martin (N5ZNO), Peter Berrett (VK3PB), and Emile Diodene (KE5QKR). Contact him at [email protected].

I have a pal who lives a stone’s throw away from me. He kept telling me about a group that he chatted with most nights on 80 meters. The closest I could get was 40 meters with my multiband inverted vee. I could hear those guys clear as anything, all 300 miles away. Try as I might, my 40, which tuned for 80 just couldn’t make the trip with my barefoot 100 watts.

It took me a while to figure out how to get such a long antenna in my rented back yard. I did a lot of measuring and drawing in Autocad to make absolutely sure I could put this up back there. When I was finally convinced, I told my pal Lloyd, that I was going to do it. I told him I’d get it as soon as I ordered and received some more wire. Being the great guy he is, he told me he had wire for me to just come and get it. I was more than appreciative.

Wire in hand, I knew I’d need a balun to bring it in from my 450 ohm line that I would use from the feed point to near my window. I ventured onto the Internet and found an outdoor electronic project box. It was about 3.5×5. Perfect for the toroids I had already purchased. Parts in hand, I began work.

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Greg Walters, KK4TIX, is a special contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Kentucky, USA.

Nick Bennett 2EØFGQ co-hosts TX Factor with Bob McCreadie GØFGX and Mike Marsh G1IAR. Contact the team at [email protected]

Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2016 Jun 06 0156 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 30 May – 05 June 2016

Solar activity ranged from very low to low levels. Low activity was observed on 30 May with a pair of C1/Sf flares observed from Region 2550 (N15, L=114, class/area Cro/020 on 31 May). Very low levels were observed on 31 May and 01-05 Jun. Of note, the first spotless day since 17 Jul 2014 was observed on 03 Jun.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 30 May – 04 Jun with moderate levels observed on 05 Jun.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to minor storm (G1-Minor) levels. Quiet to active levels were observed on 30-31 May due to negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influence. During this time frame, wind speeds peaked at about 575 km/s early on 30 May while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field reached a maximum southward of extent of -6 nT late on 31 May. Quiet conditions were observed on 01 Jun through midday on 05 Jun. Active to G1 storm levels were observed through the remainder of 05 Jun due to effects from another negative polarity CH HSS. Late on 05 Jun, wind speeds approached 650 km/s, total field reached 19 nT while the Bz component briefly hit a maximum southward extent of -15 nT.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 06 June – 02 July 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with C-class activity possible throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be reach high levels on 07-09, 12-16, 26-30 Jun and 01 Jul. Normal to moderate levels are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period.

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) levels on 06 Jun and 02 Jul with unsettled to active levels expected on 12-15, 17-18, 23-24 and 26-27 Jun, all due to the influence of multiple recurrent CH HSSs. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period under a nominal solar wind regime.

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