Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2501 for Friday, October 3rd, 2025

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2501 with a release date of Friday, October 3rd, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC tells prisons they can legally jam cell phones. Lightning destroys a major weather forecasting station in New Zealand -- and a teenager from Africa lands a spot on a big DXpedition. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2501 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

US GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HALTS FCC OPERATIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: This developing story unfolded as Newsline went to production: the FCC was among numerous government agencies suspending operations as the result of a US government shutdown. The commission advised amateur radio operators and others that this would have an impact on processing of licenses, exams and any other communications as of October 1st. The FCC website cautioned visitors that information displayed might not be up to date. Newsline is following this story.

**

FCC VOTES TO ALLOW CELL PHONE JAMMING NEAR PRISONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where the US regulator has given approval for state and federal prisons to jam cell phones. Kent Peterson KCØDGY gives us the update.

KENT: In a move applauded by a number of lawmakers, the Federal Communications Commission has given prisons and other correctional facilities the authorization to use cell phone jamming technology to disable devices smuggled into inmates. Federal law prohibits the sale and operation of equipment that interferes with the operation of authorized radio communications, including GPS and cellular phones.

According to the FCC,the September 30th vote was taken to halt what authorities say are criminal activities, such as drug dealing or killings, being conducted by persons who are incarcerated.

The FCC said that its action would coordinate efforts between corrections officials and wireless carriers and is not designed to interfere with wireless services of cellular customers in the vicinity of the prisons.

The move drew praise from a number of lawmakers such as David Kustoff, a Republican congressman who in March had introduced the Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act of 2025.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(FCC, WBBJ-TV)
**

NUCLEAR-CLEANUP DRILL INCORPORATES HAM RADIO FOR 1ST TIME

PAUL/ANCHOR: When there's an emergency, you can't have too many ways to communicate - particularly when the crisis involves nuclear materials. That's why here in the US, the Department of Energy recently asked amateur radio operators to be part of a drill at a plant where the agency conducts nuclear waste management and decontamination. We hear more from Andy Morrison K9AWM.

ANDY: It was a first for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service in Paducah [PUH-DUKE-KUH], Kentucky: responding to a mock emergency at a government-owned site that conducts nuclear deactivations and spent-fuel cleanup. Paducah is one of more than 100 government sites across the country handled by the energy department's Emergency Management program, which conducts nuclear remediation.

The hams, first-responders at numerous natural disasters throughout Kentucky, were now providing backup in a nuclear scenario.

According to a report on the department website, the hams got the word out, successfully transmitting emails over the radio from their mobile station inside a truck, reaching department headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as the project office in nearby Kentucky.

Myrna Redfield, program manager of the Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership, said that the first-time inclusion of ham radio meant that such scenarios gave an extra layer of resiliency to keep communication uninterrupted. She said: [quote] "Exercises like this not only enhance our preparedness but also strengthen ties with local responders who share our commitment to protecting people and the environment." [endquote]

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(US DEPT OF ENERGY)

**
LIGHTNING DESTROYS MAJOR NEW ZEALAND RADAR DOME

PAUL/ANCHOR: A major radar dome with a key weather forecasting role in New Zealand has been all but destroyed by some of the weather it helps predict, as we hear from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM: For New Zealand's meteorologists, the Westland Rain Radar is transmitting only silence, following a lightning strike of 156 kiloamps on the 18th of September. A statement from MetService New Zealand, the nation's weather service, said that the powerful surge was about five times greater than a typical strike and had sufficient power to run a residence for about two years. Various news reports said the power not only destroyed the weatherproof cover designed to protect the radar but "fried" the electronics and overpowered the grounding systems at the site.

The strike's destructive force has disabled the radar dome to the point that MetService expects it to be out of service for [quote] "an extended period" [endquote] while repairs are done. The radar is a critical forecasting tool for New Zealand's severe weather warnings and plays an especially important role for communities on the West Coast.

Meteorologists in the meantime will be observing high-resolution computer models, satellite images, weather stations and neighbouring radar sites. According to a report on the AccuWeather website, this is not the first time the radar dome has been hit by lightning. A hit in 2022 left it with only minor damage.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(NZNET NEWS, ACCUWEATHER, METSERVICE NEW ZEALAND)

**

SILENT KEY: TOP CONTESTER, WRTC REFEREE FLAVIO PRECISVALLE IK1SPR

PAUL/ANCHOR: The contesting world has lost one of its devoted enthusiasts. We learn more about him from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Flavio Precisvalle, IK1SPR, became a Silent Key unexpectedly on the 21st of September. A licensed amateur for nearly 40 years, he was an enthusiastic contester in all modes, but had a particular love of CW.

Various online postings credited him with playing a major role in IQ1RY the Italian Radio Association in Bra, in the province of Cuneo. Flavio's former team members posted pictures online of him enjoying various contests, where he was often among the victors.

He was adept at "all mode" contesting, using CW, SSB and RTTY. Most recently he had competed in the Islands on the Air contest as part of the IP1X team. Whenever he could, he would support others, working as a referee twice in the World Radiosport Team Championship -- in Russia in 2010 and in Italy in 2022.

Flavio was a much-loved member of the Marconi Club, which organized an on-air tribute to him in CW on 80 metres on Friday the 26th of September. Flavio was 58.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(QRZ.COM, IQ1RY, MARCONI CLUB)

**
PA QSO PARTY OFFERS NEW INCENTIVES TO CHASERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Organizers of the Pennsylvania QSO Party are extending a big invitation to hams throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean to assist their fellow amateurs in the Keystone State. Newslines Mark Abramowicz NT3V has the details..

MARK: It has grown to become one of the biggest QSO parties on the annual HF operating calendar.

The PA QSO Party is held on the second weekend of October, running this year on Oct. 11 and 12 with stations found on both SSB and CW. It has the reputation as "The Friendly QSO Party" because it attracts lots of newcomers and casual operators who take their time on the QSO exchanges.

Now it's become even friendlier: The committee that oversees the PA Party has introduced a new group of awards and plaques for this contest to stimulate even more activity especially on the 10, 15 and 20 meter bands.

Thats where those of you outside of Pennsylvania become part of the winning formula for PA stations who will be looking for you.

Even if youre not into contesting, nearly all of us who cruise the bands on the weekends are generally willing to stop to make contact with a station calling CQ. Well, that brief stop for a PA station during this event could translate into big rewards.

While the PA party does offer plaques and awards to out-of-state stations in a variety of categories, organizers want to promote even more activity from those stations. Doing so will help operators in PA to capture awards for sweeping sections and call districts in the Northeast, Southwest, the West, Central, Canada, and some DX plus the Caribbean.

Youll find more about the PA QSO Party and a listing of the new awards in the links in the text version of this story on our website, ARNewsline.org.

(https://www.paqso.org/awards-certificates.html.)


(https://paqso.org/)


Im Mark Abramowicz, NT3V.

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N9IAA repeater in my hometown of Valparaiso Indiana on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.

**
FCC CHARGES NEWLY LICENSED HAM WITH UNAUTHORIZED OPERATION

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham in the US is facing action from the FCC for violating the terms of a license he had received only one month earlier. We hear more details from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

KENT: In the US, the FCC has charged an amateur radio operator with unauthorized operation on a frequency assigned for use by public safety agencies, private mobile paging and businesses. The FCC's action against Matthew Davidson, KG7EFI, stems from a complaint its enforcement bureau received on the 10th of July, barely one month after Davidson was granted his Technician class license. Technician licensees are permitted use of VHF bands including 6 meters, 2 meters, and 1.25 meters.

According to the complaint, enforcement agents said Davidson, who lives in Utah, was questioned 18 days after the complaint and admitted that he was transmitting on 173.675 MHz, a frequency that is unauthorized under his license.

The FCC has given him 20 days to file a formal written response.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(FCC)

**
SSTV TRANSMISSIONS PLANNED FOR WORLD SPACE WEEK

PAUL/ANCHOR: There are many ways people are marking World Space Week in October - and most of it, not surprisingly, is right here on the world itself. But lucky for hams, no one is forgetting about space. Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us what's happening high above it all.

JASON: The largest celebration of space is right here on planet Earth and it's taking place from the 4th through to the 10th of October. More than 90 countries are supporting this celebration of science and technology which this year has the theme "Living in Space."

Ham radio operators, of course, keep their feet on the ground - mostly - but have at least one ear tuned into what's going on high above us. So Amateur Radio on the International Space Station will deliver its own contribution to this annual event by transmitting six unique slow-scan TV images. Right now the schedule is tentative but there will be a window for transmission on Friday the 3rd of October and a second window, with the same images, on Saturday the 4th of October. The action will be happening on 145.800 MHz where the images will be sent in PD120 encoding.

World Space Week is an educational effort that was declared by the United Nations in 1999. The observance gives nations around the world an opportunity to show how space-related initiatives have the capacity to improve life on earth.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(WORLD SPACE WEEK WEBSITE, ARISS, AMATEUR NEWS DAILY)


PAUL/ANCHOR: Be listening as well for special event station GB2WSW which is celebrating World Space Week by being on the air on 40m SSB and 20m FT8 from 1000 to 1600 UTC from the 4th through to the 10th of October. The station will be operating from a school in Surrey, England, where it will also be receiving the SSTV images from the ISS to show the students.

**
WRTC RELEASES COMPETITORS' NAMES

If you're planning for some extra DX in 2026, you may find some familiar names and callsigns on the website of the World Radiosport Team Championship. Competing teams' names and callsigns have been released. Are any of them in your logs yet? Follow the link in the text version of this week's newscast to see who they are. In a separate email announcement, organizers also announced that they have chosen the 50 referees.

[DO NOT READ https://www.wrtc2026.org/competitors-and-referees/ ]

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Eric, GM5RDX and Graham, 2MØIJU will be on the air as J38DX and J38LD, respectively, from Grenada, IOTA Number NA-024, from the 8th through to the 15th of October. They will be on 80-6 metres using SSB most of the time, with some FT8. QSL for both callsigns via MØOXO's OQRS.

Maurizio, IK2GZU, will be operating as 5H3MB from Tanzania from the 16th of October through to the 20th of November. He will be operating on 80-10 metres holiday style using CW, SSB, and digital modes. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Listen for Eric, F6ICX [EFF SIX EYE SEE EX] who will be using the callsign 5R8IC from Sainte-Marie Island, IOTA Number AF-090, near Madagascar. He will be on the air starting in October and will operate through to late December or early January, using CW, SSB and some FT8 in fox-hound mode. He will be on 40-10 metres.

SOTA Croatia is marking 10 years. Listen for the special callsign 9A10SOTA starting on the 1st of October. The callsign will be on the air through to the 30th of September 2026. A certificate will be available for contacts made between the 1st of October and the 31st of December. QSL via LoTW.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**

KICKER: NEXT-GENERATION DXPEDITIONER JOINS ANDAMAN ISLAND TEAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we celebrate the next generation of DXpeditioners. Members of the VU4 Andaman Island DXpedition are still awaiting news of their callsign from the Indian regulator but the wait is at least over for their addition of a new team member. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us about him, a promising youth from southeastern Africa.

GRAHAM: A 17-year-old radio amateur from rural Malawi has joined the DXpedition team that is headed to Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal in October of 2026. Urgent Jere, 7Q6UJ, is not just along for the ride. Barely a year after passing his US Technician exam, he has already confirmed 168 DXCC countries as a chaser. Soon he will be on the other end of that envious pileup. He is studying to upgrade his license and sharpening his proficiency in CW.

Urgent was mentored by Don Jones, 7Q6M/K6ZO, as part of a project created by the HacDC Amateur Radio Club of Washington, D.C. and supported by the Jeffrey Dahn Memorial Foundation. Urgent hopes his efforts will inspire other young people in Africa to embrace amateur radio too.

One of Urgent's next trips after India will not be to a DXpedition but to an even longer journey that will shape the rest of his life. He plans to go to the US, where he hopes to combine academic studies with radio science at Virginia Tech University.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WILLIAM SAVACOOL, K2SAV)

**
If you haven't sent in your ham radio haiku yet, what's been stopping you? Visit our website at arnewsline.org and as you compose your ode to your favorite online activity, we will help you use the correct number of syllables to make an authentic haiku. Submit your work and then sit back and wait to hear whether you are the winner of this week's challenge. The winner gets a shout-out on our website, where everyone can find the winning haiku.

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Accuweather; Amateur News Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARISS; ARRL; Bobby Graves, KB5HAV; David Behar K7DB; DXNews; 425DX Bulletin; FCC; Marconi Club; MetService New Zealand; NZNetNews; Ofcom; QRZ.com; shortwaveradio.de; US Dept. of Energy; Wlliam Savacool, K2SAV; Wireless Institute of Australia; WRTC; World Space Week website; YouTube; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2025. Amateur Radio Newsline retains ownership of its material even when retransmitted elsewhere. All rights are reserved.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)