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VK7AX > BCAST 01.02.90 11:02z 753 Lines 26601 Bytes #-13135 (0) @ WW
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Subj: VK National News 01Feb26
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Sent: 260201/1031Z 8296@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.AUNZ LinBPQ6.0.24
VK National News 01Feb26
Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2026-02-01.mp3
Text edition:
2026 FEBRUARY 1 WIA NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
------------------------------------------------------------*
THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
THIS LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN
tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos
------------------------------------------------------------*
IN WIA NATIONAL NEWS THIS WEEK:-
Pete Cherry VK2LP the Returning Officer of the Wireless Institute of
Australia. -
Lee Moyle VK3GK WIA Director. -
Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine. -
Following on from last few weeks "BIOS" of candidates for this years
WIA AGM Election we here from Justin VK7TW. -
And the tragic news which swept the airwaves this week, the death of
Mobile Ones VK4BBX.
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MUCH MUCH MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA AND IT'S FOR WEEK COMMENCING
SUNDAY FEBRUARY ONE 2026
I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB (People have often asked me why I became an
editor ---- well--- to cut a long story short
WIA
JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y
On behalf of the WIA Board, this is WIA Director, Lee Moyle VK3GK
The Ross Hull International Contest Marathon has now finished and its
time to get your VHF/UHF logs submitted to the WIA for checking. Email you
log to rosshull(at)wia.org.au
Further information and past results can be found on the WIA website.
Peter Freeman VK3PF is the contest manager.
While on VHF/UHF, Dr Kevin Johnston VK4UH has submitted claims for
distance records.
VHF-UHF Record, WIA certificate of Achievement for incredible two way
contacts between David Minchin VK5KK and Iain Crawford VK5ZD on 15th
November 2025 which set a new Distance Record for Home/Portable, National
& VK5 STATE on the 241GHz Band at a distance of 25km.
The 2026 First Edition of Amateur Radio Magazine will be out shortly. Once
again it continues to be on time and full of exceptional content. The
editorial team continue to do their best to provide interesting articles
to cover a wide range of topics suited to the diverse readership. Now that
said, Editor Roger Harrisson VK2ZRH is always seeking great and
informative articles to include in AR Magazine. So put pen to paper or
fingers on the keyboard and submit your new project for potential
inclusion. The PubCom are currently in the process of putting together a
paper for details of how to prepare and submit articles with good
photographs and specifications to help the team get your article in print.
This edition of AR Magazine will include details of how to vote for the
upcoming WIA election, including the four candidates nominated for WIA
directorship and their biographies. As a WIA member it is important to
vote for the ongoing success of the WIA, the oldest Radio Society in the
World.
As the WIA AGM is only a few months away on the 2nd and 3rd of May 2026.
Great progress is being made for “VK Summit”, the event being held in
Albury NSW and conducted by the Albury and Wodonga Radio Club. More
details can be found on the WIA website.
For now, 73 from WIA Director, Lee Moyle, VK3GK.
Pete Cherry VK2LP Returning Officer of the Wireless Institute of Australia.
As you know today is the 1st of February 2026 and that means that the
election for Director of the WIA is now open.
An email with a link to the electronic vote was recently sent to all
members who have a valid email address in Memnet. If you did not receive
an email please contact the returning officer via the email
ReturningOfficer(at)nationaloffice.wia.org.au
For those of you who do not have an email address and did not elect to
receive a postal vote, that is those members who we have not been able to
contact, please contact the WIA office between the hours of 9:00am to
5:00pm Monday to Friday (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on phone (03)
9729 0400. Leave your contact details and the Returning Officer will be in
touch.
Good luck to the candidates who are:
Chris Dimitrijevic VK3FY
Klaus Illhardt VK3IU
Lee Moyle VK3GK
Justin Giles-Clark VK7TW
The election will close on 28 February 2026 and the results will be
communicated after the close in accordance with the WIA Election
Regulations.
This announcement has been spoken and authorised by Pete Cherry VK2LP the
Returning Officer of the Wireless Institute of Australia.
ReturningOfficer(at)nationaloffice.wia.org.au
This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine.
As many of you will have guessed, Im here to tell you that the first
issue of Amateur Radio magazine for 2026 rolled off the press last
Wednesday, as scheduled, never mind the Monday holiday.
Our feature this issue is titled Contest Capers!
As contesting is a widely popular pastime in the radio amateur community,
Im sure therell be something of interest to a wide range of readers.
Havent tried it? Time to get on the air and check it out. Like fishing,
you never know your luck until you cast a line.
What with the social undercurrent about home solar systems easing out the
traditional coal-fired power stations – and none too soon, by some reports
– the NEXT BIG THING apparently is home battery systems, which are being
promoted and subsidised by government assistance programs.
All well and good, but home batteries also have a role in disasters. Hows
that? Well check out our feature article on the subject.
From the present to the past, those with an interest in ham radio history
– and, yes, there are still stories to tell that remain untold – we have
Part 1 of a feature on an unexpected subject – the joint development of
the WIA and the R A A Fs Wireless Reserve.
WIA Historian, Peter Wolfenden VK3RV tells the intriguing story behind the
early days of the RAAF and the WIA, about the key ‘characters involved
and the connections between them.
Dont forget that theres an election coming up – yep, under the
Institutes constitution, four members have stepped up for election to
three positions on the Board for 2026-2027.
Read all about it in our lift-out centre pages this issue. Both electronic
and mail voting is available.
As always, theres so much more in every edition of Amateur Radio magazine.
More guts. Less gab. Articles written by Australian amateurs for
Australian amateurs and edited by an Australian amateur in Australia.
Im Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News.
AUSTRALIANA - SILENT KEY
VK4BBX Greg Ackman
Two men died in a light plane crash north of the Gold Coast shortly after
taking off from a private airstrip at about 6am on Tuesday en route to a
small town near Tamworth in NSW.
Police have confirmed the 73-year-old pilot from Beenleigh and his male
passenger, believed to be from Sydney, died at the scene. They were the
only occupants of the plane which came down just after take-off in
bushland in Jacobs Well, near the Heck Field Airstrip, shortly before 6am
on Tuesday.
The Pilot? VK4BBX Greg Ackman
Greg was founder of Mobile One antennas. He built the business from a
garage-based operation during the 1970s. He became a ham late 2021, VK4BBX
was a familiar face in the Australian amateur radio community, often
showcasing Mobile One products at field days and events.
Vale VK4BBX.
VK7TW WIA Board Nomination
As many of you know, Ive nominated for the WIA Board for 2026, and I want
to be very clear about what I intend to focus on if elected.
First and foremost is implementing a structured, ongoing engagement
strategy with the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The relationship between the amateur service and the regulator cannot be
ad-hoc, reactive, or personality-driven. It needs to be deliberate,
professional, and continuous. That means regular technical dialogue,
evidence-based submissions, and a clear articulation of how amateur radio
delivers public benefit, innovation, skills development, and emergency
capability. Engagement with ACMA is not something we visit every few years
when a problem appears. It must be embedded into how WIA operates.
The second priority is creating and implementing a national education,
training, and assessment strategy for amateur radio.
Now that the WIA has an agreement in place with the Radio and Electronics
School, we finally have the foundation to do this properly. This is an
opportunity to move beyond fragmented, state-by-state approaches and build
a nationally consistent framework covering Foundation through to Advanced,
assessor development, modern learning materials, and clear pathways into
the hobby. Education is how we grow numbers, retain members, and
future-proof amateur radio in Australia.
For those who know me, youll know Im not interested in endless
discussion papers or ticking boxes. Im a doer. I like building things,
fixing things, and getting outcomes. Ive represented amateurs at a
national level before, and Im eager to do so again with a clear focus on
delivery, not rhetoric.
If elected, my aim is simple: strengthen our standing with the regulator,
modernise how we bring people into the hobby, and ensure the WIA remains
credible, relevant, and effective for the years ahead.
If you need to know other stuff about me take a look at my bio on the WIA
website, my blog or linked-in pages.
wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2026/20260108-1/index.php
vk7tw.wordpress.com/
linkedin.com/in/justin-giles-clark-18022626/
73, Justin, VK7TW
------------------------------------------------------------*
INTERNATIONAL NEWS is with thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, ARRL,
DX-WORLD, eHam, Hackaday, IARU, IRTS, NEWSLINE, NZART, RAC,
Radioworld.com, RSGB, SARL and the World Wide sources of WIA.
Belarus Threatens Ham Radio Operators with the Death Penalty
The IRTS, Irish Radio Transmitters Society are reporting that Belarussian
state authorities have detained over 50 licensed members of BFRR, the
Belarusian Federation of Radioamateurs and Radiosportsmen.
They are accused of treason and espionage and have been paraded on state
television.
The accusations are that they have used Baofeng handhelds and
consumer-grade SDR dongles to intercept military radio traffic.
QSL cards received through the QSL bureau and logged contacts with
operators in Europe or the United States are being presented as
clandestine reporting to NATO agents, says the Irish report.
At the urging of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio in the
USA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to exempt
radio amateurs from foreign adversary reporting requirements. These rules
would have applied to citizens of listed countries, including those living
in the United States, who hold or are applying for an FCC license.
Foreign adversaries as defined in the draft are:
China, including Hong Kong and Macau; Cuba; Iran; North Korea;
Russian Federation; and “Venezuelan politician Nicolás Maduro.”
Vandals Strike Ham Factory
A major act of vandalism has disrupted production and shipping at the
Dishtronix / Ten Tec / Alpha RF Systems factory in Dayton, Ohio.
According to company owner Mike Dishop, N8WFF, a group of thieves
destroyed the factorys underground electrical infrastructure in order to
steal the copper cable. “The thieves extracted approximately 2000 feet of
half-inch copper cable weighing approximately 2800 pounds,” explained
Dishop, “with an estimated salvage value of $12,000 and a replacement cost
of over $35,000.”
Dishop told The ARRL Letter that power was restored on January 14, a month
after the break-in, but explained that “(t)his interruption has impacted
the timing for everything we had on schedule by at least three months due
to loss of time and capital.” He says the police investigation is ongoing.
US lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have reached a deal that would fund the
Voice of America, giving its parent organization, the US Agency for Global
Media, an estimated $653 million. That figure is considerably lower than
the annual $860 million provided previously to the agency.
As described on the Radio World website, the funds would also pay for
restoration of operations for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio
Free Asia. A minimum of $30 million is earmarked for medium- and shortwave
programming by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
The New Zealand Cabinet has made key decisions on the future of AM and FM
sound broadcasting licences beyond the expiry of current licences in 2031.
Following public consultation in 2025, the NZ Government has agreed to
continue to use this spectrum for AM/FM services for a further 20 years,
providing for radio broadcasting through to 2051.
Commercial, community, and iwi broadcasters will continue to have access
to radio spectrum. Commercial broadcasters can expect renewal offers in
coming months, while non-commercial operators will be engaged well-ahead
of the expiry of their current licences. The renewal process for community
licences will be led by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
Local Commercial FM licences will be offered the opportunity to transition
to either a community or commercial licence.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2026
WIA contest page :- wia.org.au/members/contests/about/
--------------
February 7 - 8 -- 10-10 Winter International Winter Contest, SSB (phone)
(arrl)
---------------
FEBRUARY 21 and 22 ARRL DX CW
--------------
MARCH - Jock White Memorial Field Day
This annual contest is named to honour Jock White ZL2GX, NZART Contest
and Awards Manager for over 40 years, for the service that he gave to
NZART during that time.
Feb 28, Saturday, 1500-2400 NZDT and Sunday March one 0600-1500 NZDT.
40 and/or 80 metres, PHONE (SSB) and/or CW, 100 watts PEP maximum.
Stations using two transmitters may operate simultaneously on both bands,
however only one transmitter may be operated on a single band at a time.
Single transmitter stations may operate on one or both bands.
(nzart.org.nz)
--------------------
MARCH 7 - 8 ARRL DX SSB
--------------
MARCH 15 BERU
---------------
MARCH 21 and 22 JOHN MOYLE MEMORIAL FIELD DAY
(new rules for 2026)
---------------------
MAY:- HARRY ANGEL MEMORIAL SPRINT May 2nd.
---------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NOW LET'S OPEN THE DX WINDOW TO THE WORLD ------------
-------------
Chas, NK8O, is on the air as 5H3DX from Tanzania [PRON: TAN ZAN EAR] until
the 9th of February, operating CW and using the digital modes on 20
through 10 metres. If conditions permit, he will also be on 6 metres.
(newsline)
--------
ZL 100 C is the callsign celebrating the centenary of NZART
the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters which was formed
on 16 August 1926.
The callsign is valid until 6 August 2026.
QSL via the bureau and LoTW.
(425dxnews)
-------------
Listen for Aldir, PY1SAD, on the air through to the 23rd of February as
8R1TM from Guyana. He is using CW, SSB and digital modes on 160-6 metres.
He is also operating via satellite during the week from 23.00 to 03.00 UTC
and more frequently during the weekends.
(newsline)
------------
Mikkel will be active as OX7AKT from Greenland, 10 - 17 February 2026.
Maybe a good time to get Greenland "in the log" whilst it IS still an entity!
----------
Tom VK2TBC will be active as VK 0 TBC from Casey Station, Antarctica
between February and December. He will operate SSB and FT8.
vk2tbc.com
(425dxnews)
-------------
Established in 1947, the British Faraday Antarctic Station was
transferred to Ukraine ownership in February 1996, and renamed
Akademik Vernadsky.
Celebrating this 30th anniversary, five special call signs will be
active from 1 February to 1 March:
Loo0k for the EM 30 prefixes on air.
(425DXNEWS)
------------
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ASTRONOMY (and Wireless Weather)
Earth Hit by Biggest 'Solar Radiation Storm' in 23 Years:
Reports now being calculated suggest earth's magnetic field was struck by
a "severe" solar storm Jan. 19, triggering vibrant auroras in the U.S. and
large parts of Europe.
The storm broke a record that had stood for more than two decades. A
"severe" and record-breaking geomagnetic storm rocked Earth's magnetic
shield last night, shortly after the sun unleashed a powerful X-class
solar flare. The epic event, triggered by a stream of superfast solar
particles, painted widespread auroras at unusually low latitudes across
the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Europe.
The storm's severity, which exceeded that of the one in October of 2023,
disrupted the HF bands, challenging ham radio operators, while creating
spectacular auroral displays.
(eHam/newsline)
WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS
SUMMITS ON THE AIR, WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM,
PARKS ON THE AIR and other ADVENTURE GROUPS.
hema.org.uk/index.jsp
minesontheair.com/about-mota
parksontheair.com/
sota.org.uk
sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/
facebook.com/SotaAustralia/
wwffaustralia.com/
A new web-based tool for the amateur radio community, SpottedHam.com, has
launched to provide hams with a more granular way to monitor the bands.
Unlike traditional clusters, SpottedHam allows users to create custom
watch lists for specific callsigns, POTA (Parks on the Air) references, or
specific bands and modes.
The system monitors live spotting data and sends an immediate email
notification to the user the moment a match is found. This is particularly
useful for operators chasing specific park references or monitoring the
activity of friends and local club members.
Developer Robert Campbell/KM6HBH designed the tool to be mobile-first,
ensuring that activators in the field and operators in the shack have a
clean, clutter-free interface. The service is currently free to use and
supports global spotting data.
Interested operators can find the live spotting table, an easy way to spot
themselves, and sign up for alerts on spottedham.com
(ard)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - DIGITAL.
The Alberta Digital Radio Society is pleased to announce that it has
chosen Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) as the modulation
method for the enhanced data mode on its IP400 Supernode.
"This mode will enable higher data rates than have previously been
achieved with conventional FM Radios”, says Martin Alcock, VE6VH, founder
of the IP400 project, who goes on to say “and it will provide us with the
ability to extend the network to a mobile station on a conventional
repeater which can be in either the 2M, 220, 440 and 900 bands, and with
no radio modifications required”.
The goals of the IP400 project are not only to implement a higher speed
mesh network on the 400MHz band, but also to breathe new life into
analogue repeaters with a simple data upgrade, which will result in the
addition of three modes: a 4FSK compatible mode on 400MHz, and a high
speed OFDM mode at 2.39GHz for linking and backbone purposes, and a slower
audio band OFDM mode that is designed to work with existing VHF and UHF
radios.
(ard)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary(at)amsat-vk.org
NASA has selected 34 global volunteers to track the Orion spacecraft
during the crewed Artemis II missions journey around the Moon.
While NASA's Near Space Network and Deep Space Network, coordinated by the
agency's SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) program , will provide
primary communications and tracking services to support Orion's launch,
journey around the Moon, and return to Earth, participants selected from a
request for proposals published in August 2025, comprised of established
commercial service providers, members of academia, and individual amateur
radio enthusiasts will use their respective equipment to passively track
radio waves transmitted by Orion during its approximately 10-day journey.
Last year, the US space agency asked hams with the necessary capabilities
to observe the Doppler shift on the spacecraft's S-band return link
carrier signal. The spacecraft's S-band range is between 2200 and 2290
MHz. Volunteers will not be transmitting or up linking signals.
(eHam/newsline)
Artemis II mission crew enters quarantine before flying to the Moon
The astronauts quarantine began on January 23. This period, officially
called the health stabilization program, usually begins about 14 days
before launch. During this time, astronauts minimize their contact with
other people. This is necessary to rule out the possibility of illnesses
that could delay their mission or develop during the flight.
At this time, NASA has not yet set an official launch date for Artemis II,
as testing of the rocket and spacecraft continues. Starting quarantine now
allows for flexibility. Depending on the results of the launch dress
rehearsal or other operational considerations, the crew may exit
quarantine and return to it 14 days before any date.
The crew began quarantine in Houston. If preparations for launch proceed
successfully, they will fly to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida
approximately six days before launch, where they will stay in special
accommodations. During quarantine, the crew will be able to continue
communicating regularly with friends, family, and colleagues who are
complying with quarantine rules, and will avoid public places, wear masks,
and maintain distance from other people with whom they come into contact,
while continuing their latest training and medical examinations.
(universemagazine)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS
qcwa.org
raotc.org.au
Hello everyone, this is Peter VK7PD reminding you that tomorrow is the
first Monday of the month, time for the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club
of Australia's February bulletin to go to air.
This month as well as the latest Club news
Well deviate from an historical article and have a look at where
developments were in battery technology, as it was 12 years ago.
Both of these articles were first broadcast in March 2014. The first
is read by Clive, VK6CSW and this is followed by a second article on
the same theme by Ian, VK3JS, with further discussion on
developments made at the time by Swedish manufacturer, Volvo.
Everyone, RAOTC members and non-Members alike, is most welcome to listen
to the program and join in the call backs afterwards.
Full details of all transmissions times and modes can be found on the
RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au or just Google RAOTC broadcasts.
If none of the transmission times suit you, you can download the audio
file at any time from today from the clubs website.
Once again, tune in tomorrow for the February RAOTC bulletin, enjoy the
program and please join in the call backs afterwards.
73 from Peter VK7PD.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS - YOTA
(Youngsters On The Air)
WIA committee:- Steve VK6SJ, Alec VK2MV and Pete VK2LP.
ham-yota.com/category/yota-region-3/
facebook.com/groups/YOTAOC/
youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA
Last week I spoke to you about the AAC Head Land Capability Futures
Program Drone Camps in Adelaide.
Well the three camps have now wrapped up.
Over the five-day camps, cadets and staff learned how to build, program,
and operate 5-inch racing drones.
They also heard from local defence industry group presentations,
discussing future opportunities and capabilities they offered to the ADF.
A special shout out went to newly promoted Cadet Joey Huang, who received
a specially signed promotion certificate from AAC Commander Brigadier
David McCammon DSC and Bar.
Cadet Huang is a member of the AAC Drone Racing Cadet Instructional Team
where he has been supporting drone familiarisation training for Australian
Defence Force members.
During that time he demonstrated outstanding leadership and shared his
knowledge to help enhance understanding and capability of drone racing in
preparation for airshows and UAS events.
For WIA National News, I am Alan, VK2COD in Sydney.
------------------------------------------------------------*
IT'S A DATE
Clubs are welcome to email text with audio for this section,
nationalnews(at)wia.org.au
Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found
on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links.
--------------------- SOCIAL SCENE 2026 ------------------
VK6 - PARGFEST Mandurah Bowling Club February 7 9am (vk6pbs)
VK4 - Redfest - Deception Bay North State School 9am April 11. (vk4ble)
Greetings form the Redcliffe and districts radio club VK4RC.
Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.
REDFEST 26 Digital Communications 11 April 2026.
John Saunders VK4BZ reports in our January QTC news letter
that organisation of REDFEST 26 is proceeding apace.
Our redfest.org website is almost completed. He has
confirmed that we will raffle an IC-7300 mark 2.
The ladies from ALARA have booked a table.
There will be 5 speciality venders, also commercial radio and electronic
venders.
The coaxial cafe team is organised.
Tech talk speakers are being lined up.
Peter VK4TAA will have several tables full of pre-loved teckno goodies.
Stay tuned for further updates and don't be afraid to go and visit our
redfest.org website
Thanks and 73
from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio club VK4RC.
VK - WIA AGM May 2 at 2pm Albury VK2 couples with ICOM VK SUMMIT 2026
also in Albury May 2 and 3. (wiacal/ARMAG )
VK5 - Adelaide Amateur Radio & Electronics Car Boot Sale Dogs SA
Showground, Cromwell Road, Kilburn 10.00am. November 21. (wiacal)
Reception Reports
No we DO like to hear where in the world you are listening to this,
the WIA NATIONAL NEWS SERVICE.
WIA News rebroadcasters often give Short Wave Listeners a
welcome to the broadcast as they commence call-backs
straight after the Local News. Local news follows National
news in all states. It would be great if those SWL's would
email their reception reports and location to
callbacks(at)wia.org.au
Not only but also those watching us on YouTube, leave a comment , access
is just below the picture on screen and again tell us where and maybe
even the day and time you are listening
---------------------------------------------------------------*
(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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