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Ärende: ARNewsline Report 2515 - 09JAN2026
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2515 for Friday, January 9th, 2026
  
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2515 with a release date of Friday,
January 9th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC bans the sale of foreign-made drones in the US.
Montenegro launches its first satellite -- and an HF net to take care of family
caregivers.  All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2515
comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
FCC BANS IMPORT, SALE OF FOREIGN-MADE DRONES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story is of particular interest to drone-users. A ban on
imports into the US now means that only American-made drones with American-made
parts may be sold here. Kent Peterson KCØDGY picks up the story from here.

KENT: The import and sale of foreign-made drones and components are now banned
in the US, following action by the Federal Communications Commission, citing
the potential of national security risks. The agency's move follows an
executive order from the White House in June, banning unmanned aircraft systems
and their parts.

The executive order, known as "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty," stated
that the move also has the goal of boosting drone manufacture in the US for use
here and for export to the global marketplace.

The ban is expected to have far-reaching effects on drone sellers as well as
their customers. Drones are widely used by first responders, farmers, business
owners and hobbyists. The ban affects only new products that are not already
here in the US.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(FCC)

**
SWEEPING REGULATION CHANGES FOR UK DRONES

NEIL/ANCHOR: As of January 1st, the landscape for drone operators has also
changed in the UK, under new Civil Aviation Authority regulations. Each drone
to be sold must carry Class Marks that reflect compliance with that particular
aircraft's technical and safety standards. The Class Marks are similar to those
used in the EU and cover where and how the drone can be flown.
 
There is also an array of new regulations covering different weights of drones
and their permitted proximity to people - or crowds of people. Drones carrying
cameras, and weighing at least 100 grams, are also required to have a Flyer ID.
A Remote ID is also required to transmit the drone's identification and its
location while airborne.

The new regulations apply to drone use by hobbyists as well as professionals.
The class-based regulations do not apply to drones purchased before the first
of this year. They will instead operate under the weight-based rules.

For specific rules, visit c a a dot c o dot uk stroke drones (caa.co.uk/drones)

(YOUTUBE, TECHRADAR, UK CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY)

**
MONTENEGRO LAUNCHES FIRST SATELLITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: There's a bit of celebration in Montenegro, which recently marked
a satellite "first," as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The small Balkan nation of Montenegro finished 2025 by taking a
history-making step into space with the launch of its first satellite.

Weighing just under 2 kilogrammes, the 1U CubeSat began its journey on the 28th
of December aboard a Soyuz carrier rocket from Russia's new cosmodrome near the
border with China. A project of Montenegro Space Research, it is designed to
collect data for transmission back to Earth. On board are a high-resolution
camera, solar panels and a variety of sensors - all designed to function
throughout the satellite's three-year mission in low-earth orbit.

Montenegro's amateur radio association announced that it received its first
telemetry signals from the satellite on the 31st of December, adding that it
planned to donate an antenna to the space research organisation for everyday
reception.

The satellite has been named Luca [pronounced: LOO CHA], which is Montenegrin
for "light."

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SPACEWATCH GLOBAL, MONTENEGRO SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION)

**
NEW HOLLAND RADIO SHACK ACQUIRES QUICKSILVER RADIO

NEIL/ANCHOR: A well-regarded electronics supply business in Connecticut is not
closing its doors after the death of its founder last year. Instead, the
company is moving, as we hear from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Quicksilver Radio Products, the popular Connecticut-based business
established by John Bartscherer, N1GNV, two decades ago, is relocating to
Pennsylvania as a division of the New Holland Radio Shack.

John, who was widely known as John Bee, became a Silent Key in October of 2025
while he was hospitalized. The death of the popular and personable radio
amateur also drew concerns among loyal longtime customers that his business
would permanently close its doors. In a late December announcement that
appeared in the QRZ.com forums and on Facebook, the company said it was in the
process of moving its inventory to its new location. Quicksilver said that the
company also planned to have a presence at Hamcation in Orlando, Florida in
February.

The business' website, qsradio.com, is also operating again.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(QRZ.COM FORUMS, FACEBOOK)

**
EXPERIMENTAL HF STATIONS LOSE CALLSIGN-ID WAIVER

NEIL/ANCHOR: Experimental HF stations that had previously held waivers
exempting them from station identification are now being required to transmit
their assigned callsigns at least once every half-hour. The FCC sent letters in
December to those stations who held the temporary waivers saying it was
dropping the exemptions following complaints of interference from other
spectrum users. The experimental licenses are for stations operating on the
band between 2 and 25 MHz.

A posting on Radio World reported the change, which first appeared in
Experimental Radio News from Bennett Kobb, AK4AV
 
The FCC has said that the identification must be in either by voice or Morse
Code and that digital encoding and digital modulation must be disabled during
the ID.

(RADIO WORLD)

**

HALL OF FAME NOMINATION PERIOD OPENS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you know any hams who are potential Hall of Famers? Listen up!
Here's Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: Nominations are open now through to the 31st of March for candidates to
be nominated for entry to the Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Licensed
hams and any individuals whose actions have an impact on amateur radio are
eligible.

The Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame continues the tradition established
in 2001 by CQ magazine, which has ceased publication. Hamgallery oversees the
hall of fame and is accepting nominations sent to the attention of Tom Roscoe
K8CX at k8cx@hamgallery.com

A diverse group of licensed amateurs will review the nominations. Please ensure
that the words "CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame" appear in your email's subject
line. 

There will be a maximum of three inductees.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(QRZ.COM FORUMS)

**
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CONTEST HALL OF FAME

NEIL/ANCHOR: The nomination period is also open through to the 1st of March for
the Contest Hall of Fame, which is being managed by the World Wide Radio
Operators Foundation. Originally established by CQ magazine in 1986, candidates
for inclusion are those who have personal operating achievements but also
provided meaningful support to others in pursuit of contesting excellence. 
Recent inductees include Uli Weiss, DJ2YA and Pat Barkey, N9RV. The hall of
fame also includes Silent Key Dick Ross, K2MGA, president of CQ publishing.

For details visit the website contest h o f - that's one word - dot com
(contesthof.com)

(CONTEST HALL OF FAME)

**
MINNESOTA AMATEURS HONOR WW2 MILITARY CHAPLAIN

NEIL/ANCHOR: A Minnesota amateur radio club is honoring the US Army chaplain
whose prayers provided courage and faith to Gen. George Patton's troops during
World War 2. He also happened to be a licensed ham who became a Silent Key in
1995. Kent Peterson KCØDGY brings us the details.

KENT: Father George Metcalf, who held the callsign WØJH, also held faith in the
troops he served under Gen. George Patton -- and that favorable weather would
aid the Allies' efforts during the Battle of the Bulge. With the help of a
fellow military chaplain, the priest offered a prayer for the Allies to enter
the key battle under fair skies.

In the decade following the war's end, the Episcopal priest made his home at
what is now the Belwin Conservancys Savanna Center in Afton, Minnesota. On
January 9th, 10th and 11th, the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association will be on
the air from the priest's former home to honor him and will be using his
original callsign. They will be joined by Father Brian K. Burgess, KD4UTL, an
Episcopal bishop who will be visiting from Illinois to operate with the hams
and officiate on Sunday at a local service.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(PIONEER PRESS, SARA)

**
GERMAN AMATEURS' ACCESS TO 70 MHz BAND IN LIMBO

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Germany, amateurs' use of the 70 MHz band appears to be in
limbo as of January 1st. The annual temporary-use permit that had been in place
expired on the 31st of December. The regulator has taken no action to renew it.

The Novice-level -- the middle licence class in Germany -- amateur radio
licenses have had temporary permission to use the 6-metre band. The nation's
regulator, BNETzA a Federal Agency, has not extended these operating privileges
for Class E license holders. Any amateurs wishing to transmit on 50 MHz in
Germany must hold a Class A, full license, which has had permanent access to
the band since June 2024.

(D A R C)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Midstate
Hams WA9RDF repeater in Greenwood Indiana on Sundays at 7 p.m. local time.

**
UK TELEGRAPHY STATION MARKS 125th ANNIVERSARY

NEIL/ANCHOR: One hundred twenty-five years have passed since commercial
telegraphy began at the Lizard Wireless Station in the UK, where operators
discovered that radio waves could follow the curve of the earth. This month,
hams are at that same clifftop site in Cornwall marking the occasion - and the
role the station played in the shaping communications forever. We hear more
from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The commercial telegraphy station that opened in 1901 at the Lizard
Wireless Station captured the imagination of the pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. He
used it as a test site while planning what was to become part of his historic
transatlantic transmissions from nearby Poldhu in December of that year. By
then, radio had already emerged as a prominent communication force: Just 23
days after the Lizard station opened, its operators received the first
over-the-horizon wireless signals sent from St Catherines Point on the Isle of
Wight. It was a record-setting moment.

The station's historic callsign, GB4LWS, is back on the air throughout the
month of January. Ham radio operators from the Cornish Radio Amateur Club join
Geoff GØFHT and Tim MØAFJ of the National Trust to mark the anniversary.

Geoff, who is the Lizard's amateur radio operations manager, told Newsline that
the celebration recognises the station's role in creating the foundation for
our modern connected world.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(WIA, NATIONAL TRUST, GEOFF GØFHT)

**
DX REBEL GROUP EXPEDITES CONWAY REEF PLANS

NEIL/ANCHOR: It's a race against the clock - or at least the calendar - for
members of the Rebel DX Group, as they step up their plans to activate a very
environmentally sensitive DX location: Conway Reef, 300 miles south of Fiji.
John Williams VK4JJW has those details.

JOHN: The Rebel DX Group has announced that they expect to face fully
restricted physical access to Conway Reef but are nonetheless hoping to
activate the site before the new limitations begin. The team posted a notice on
various DX news sites saying [quote] "We are quickly organizing a trip to 3D2/C
before the new restrictions take place." [endquote] The team reports that
Fiji's Ministry of Fisheries will soon designate the site as a
restricted-access zone. No specific dates were provided in their announcement
-- either for the activation plans or the start of the restrictions.

A trip to Conway Reef would mark a fourth return there. The Rebel DX group
activated it in May of 2024 as 3D2CCC, facing numerous challenges, including
very windy conditions and issues with birds interfering with the equipment.

This is John Williams VK4JJW

(DX WORLD.NET, FACEBOOK)

**
HAM CLUB CW ACTIVITY BUILDS NEWCOMERS' CONFIDENCE

NEIL/ANCHOR: The letter "X" is often used to symbolize a crossing and one ham
club based in Japan is putting that symbol to good use, helping new CW
operators cross the barrier of fear. Jason Daniels VK2LAW gives us the details.

JASON: The activity is called "CQ XING," or "CQ Crossing," and it was launched
on the 1st of January by the A1Club to help new CW operators overcome their
fear of having QSOs longer than the customary short exchange. Described as a
"crossing to meet more CW friends," the activity centers around 7.030 MHz,
particularly on Fridays from 1300 to 1500 UTC. The international club, which is
based in Japan, said in its announcement that while a simple exchange of RSTs
is often fine, amateurs engaging in "CQ XING" (SEE CUE EXXING} are leaving the
opportunity open for something a bit longer - even a ragchew. The club said
that calling CQ in this manner conveys [quote] "our shared desire to operate
with consideration and respect, making it easier for CW beginners to
participate...." [endquote]

Any ham hearing the message "CQ A1C XING" is  welcome to reply. A speed of
between 10 and 20 wpm is suggested.

To find out more about the A1 club, visit the link in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ:      https://a1club.org/A1_club_e.htm ]

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW

(NZ NET NEWS)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Giovanni IZ2DPX operating as PJ7/IZ2DPX, and
Flavio IW2NEF, operating as PJ7/IW2NEF as they activate Sint Maarten, IOTA
Number NA-105. They will be on the air from the 13th through to the 21st of
January, using SSB and FT8/FT4 on various bands.

The D A R C Team SES will be active as DH2026EM between the 10th of January and
the 10th of February during the Men's European Handball Championship being
cohosted by  Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Mathias, DL4MM is on the air as P4ØAA from Aruba, IOTA number SA-036, from the
11th through to the 29th of January and his operations will include the CQ WW
160-Meter CW Contest. Outside the contest, listen for him using CW, SSB and FT8
on 160-10 metres.

A group of radio operators from the Palau Radio Club are on Koror Island, IOTA
number OC-009, operating from the 7th through to the 15th of January. Listen
for T88HS, T88SM and T88XE. The three wlil be using various bands and modes.

See QRZ.com for all QSL details about these activations.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER:  WHEN HAMS CARE TO TAKE CARE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams, by many definitions, are caretakers. Through public service,
they care for their communities. Through fellowship, they mentor and care for
one another. There is also another level of caretaking - one that has less
visibility but carries perhaps the greatest commitment of all. In our final
story for this week, Jim Davis, W2JKD, explains.

JIM: Forty-eight Novembers have come and gone since Doug KC2YME and his wife,
Linda, were married and they have rarely been apart. The couple raised three
sons and even as Doug pursued his career, he found joy in his off-hours as a
ham radio operator. Those off-hours are precious to him now since he retired to
become fulltime caregiver to his wife, who has dementia and requires kidney
dialysis. Being deaf, she either reads his lips or increasingly relies on
messages being written down.

Still, amateur radio is there for him and, at times, Dougs ragchews have put
him in touch with any number of amateurs who, like him, are devoting time 
sometimes fulltime  to a family members complex needs. He is now hoping to
bring together these kindred spirits to gather on 40 metres to share insights,
stories and ultimately friendship. He is looking for suggestions as to the date
and time for such a net. Anyone wishing to join to or learn more can contact
him at k c 2 y me ham @ gmail.com

This is Jim Davis W2JKD.

(DOUG BACKER, KC2YME)

**

HAIKU AND CLOSE

It's a new year - how about some new ham radio haikus from our Newsline
listeners? Visit our website at arnewsline.org and as you compose your ode to
your favorite on-the-air 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 your inspired haiku will be highlighted on our website,
where everyone can read it.

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur News Daily;  AMSAT News Service; ARRL; Bennett Kobb
AK4AV; David Behar, K7DB; D A R C; DX News; Doug Backer, KC2YME; FCC; 425DX
Bulletin; Geoff GØFHT; Montenegro Space Research Organisation; National Trust;
NZNet News; Pioneer Press; RadioWorld; shortwaveradio.de; SpaceWatch Global;
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association; Wireless Institute of Australia; 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 Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union, Kentucky saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening. We wish all our listeners the very best for
the year ahead in 2026. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2026. Amateur
Radio Newsline retains ownership of its material even when retransmitted
elsewhere. All rights are reserved.

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Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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