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PY2BIL > ARNR 05.09.25 14:11l 361 Lines 16395 Bytes #362 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2497 for Friday, September 5th
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2497 for Friday, September 5th, 2025
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2497 with a release date of Friday,
September 5h, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. US amateurs learn how tariffs will affect, or halt,
deliveries from overseas. New Zealand considers changes to its band plan --
and the ocean washes away radio equipment from an IOTA expedition. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2497 comes your way right
now.
**
TARIFFS SPUR HALT IN RADIO EQUIPMENT DELIVERIES TO US
PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the global marketplace where US
customers learned from many retailers around the world how America's tariffs
will affect their ability to order imports. In France, one leading ham radio
equipment supplier announced it was among those companies halting deliveries
to the altogether. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has that story.
JEREMY: Founded in France in 2014, Passion-Radio.com has become a leading
online seller of ham radio receivers, antennas and other equipment to
customers around the world. As from the 25th of August, however, the company
suspended all shipments to the US, noting that the French national postal
operator has stopped accepting US-bound parcels.
The company's director, David, F1JXQ, told visitors to its website: [quote]
"With constant changes in tariffs, shipping costs, and carrier processes, we
cannot guarantee fair or transparent conditions for our US customers any
longer. Our priority is to restore a reliable and cost-effective shipping
solution as soon as possible.ö [endquote]
He added that import duties are paid by the buyer, not the seller, when the
purchased goods arrive in the US; the seller has no control over that.
United Parcel and other shipping services are also reviewing their
deliveries to the US. UPS expects to apply an extra international processing
fee to all imports from anywhere outside the US starting on the 8th of
September.
Imports to Europe from the US remain unaffected, David said. [quote] "Our
collaboration with five US-based suppliers continues without disruption, as
the European Union has not imposed any retaliatory tariffs or reciprocal 15%
import duties on products arriving from the United States." [endquote]
This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(PASSION RADIO, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)
PAUL/ANCHOR: US hams have also begun to feel the impact of another sweeping
marketplace change: low-cost purchases from overseas that were once not
subject to such tariffs have lost that longstanding exemption. These so-
called "de minimus" (DEE MINNA MUSS) parcels are estimated to make up as much
as 97 percent of packages imported. The elimination of this exemption also
affects awards or merchandise ordered through SOTA. Awards manager Barry
GM4TOE wrote on the SOTA Reflector on the 29th of August that he was unable
to process any orders for low-value shipments to the US.
(SOTA REFLECTOR)
**
NEW ZEALAND HAMS EYE BAND PLAN CHANGES FOR 30M
PAUL/ANCHOR: The New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters is advocating
for a new band plan giving space to single sideband on 30 metres. Jim Meachen
ZL2BHF has more details.
JIM: Following the lead of the amateur bandplan in place in Australia, the
New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters is recommending the
establishment of a new 10 kHz-wide sub-band for SSB on 30 metres. This change
would divide the CW-only band in half, giving it 20 kHz at the bottom of the
band.
Digital mode operators would get 20kHz of spectrum -- double their current
allocation - at the top of the band. Sideband's proposed 10 kHz would be
found between 10.120 and 10.130 MHz.
With SSB operation already legal in New Zealand, the association notes that
only the approval of this revised bandplan stands in the way of the change
taking place. The proposal is for this to occur on a 12-month trial basis,
with a review to take place in the final months.
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(NZNET NEWS, NZART)
**
SILENT KEY: BA-MA-TECH OWNER MARKUS BASELER, DL6YYM
PAUL/ANCHOR: The owner of a popular German company making CW keys has become
a Silent Key and his company is closing. We hear more from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
JEREMY: Ba-Ma-Tech, the maker of precision keys popular with CW ops around
the world, has announced the sudden death of its owner Markus Baseler DL6YYM
and the company's plan to close its doors. No details about his death have
been immediately provided but there is a message posted on the business
website saying that it is reviewing existing orders to determine whether they
can be fulfilled.
Markus was known as an enthusiastic CW op, operating QRP in POTA. He had made
plans to operate in Greenland in August but called off the trip, writing on
his QRZ.com page [quote] "Due to unexpected illness, unfortunately I have
had to cancel everything." [endquote]
The company website includes an earlier message posted by Markus himself,
noting that DHL had temporarily halted its shipments to the US.
(QRPer.com, Ba-Ma-Tech WEBSITE, QRZ.com)
**
NASA SEEKS VOLUNTEER TRACKERS FOR ORION SPACECRAFT
PAUL/ANCHOR: If you like keeping one eye on the sky, you may want to think
about helping NASA keep track of the signals coming from the Artemis II test
mission next year. Andy Morrison K9AWM has those details.
ANDY: NASA is looking for volunteers to track next year's Artemis II Orion
spacecraft during the crewed mission's roundtrip journey between the Earth
and the Moon.
The US space agency is asking for those with the necessary capabilities to
observe the Doppler shift on the Orion's S-band return link carrier signal.
The monitoring is designed to achieve and keep a carrier lock solely for
purposes of tracking the spacecraft. Volunteers will not be transmitting or
uplinking signals. Orion's S-band range is between 2200 and 2290 MHz.
The crew aboard the Artemis II test mission will be NASA astronauts Reid
Wiseman KF5LKT, the commander; Victor Glover KI5BKC, the pilot; and Christina
Hammock Koch [pronounced "COOK"] as well as the Canadian Space Agency's
astronaut Jeremy Hansen KF5LKU. The launch is expected to be no later than
April of 2026 and the flight will last an estimated 10 days.
This planned flight follows the Artemis I mission of 2022 which featured an
uncrewed Orion spacecraft that was tracked by 10 volunteers.
NASA hopes to hear from prospective candidates no later than 5 p.m. EDT on
Monday, October 27th.
For more details see the link in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org
This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.
[DO NOT READ:
https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/50d4e81f54e34118a8164fb786b554a6/view
]
(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)
**
NASA DEPLOYS LARGEST ORBITING RADAR ANTENNA REFLECTOR
PAUL/ANCHOR: We all know that when it comes to receiving signals well, it's
all about the antenna, the antenna, the antenna. Few people know that better
than the scientists at NASA, which recently completed the deployment of the
largest radar antenna reflector ever put into orbit - one that will keep an
eye on conditions here on Earth. Travis Lisk N3ILS tells us more about it.
TRAVIS: Unfolding, some say, like a huge hidden flower emerging in bloom, a
radar antenna with a 39-foot, or 12-metre diameter has been unfurled aboard a
satellite in low Earth orbit, following its launch in late July from India.
The mission is known as NISAR, an acronym reflecting the partnership between
NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO.
NISAR will be capturing detailed data about forest and wetland ecosystems
undergoing change, about the impact of earthquakes on the Earth's crust and
the motion of glaciers and sheets of ice over time.
The mission is designed to help communities around the world plan ahead for
natural disasters and implement recovery from them more efficiently. Karen
St. Germain, director of NASA's Earth Science Division in Washington, DC,
said this project will go a long way toward using science to assist in
decision-making under these difficult circumstances -- from responding to
disasters to formulating agricultural policy.
The antenna reflector, made of gold-plated wire mesh, has been compared to
the "eye," of the system and it operates on both the L-band and the S-band.
According to NASA, the system that operates on the L-band is particularly
suited to penetrate forest canopy and clouds. The S-band system has
particular sensitivity to light vegetation and moisture in snow.
The unprecedented joint satellite project will collect an estimated 80
terabytes of data daily.
This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.
(NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY; WIRED)
**
BREAK HERE
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the North Coast Amateur
Radio Club's N8NC repeater in Brunswick, Ohio on Sundays at 8 p.m.
**
CANADIAN STRAIGHT KEY MONTH IS ON THE AIR
PAUL/ANCHOR: To some, this month is known as September - but a good many CW
operators, especially those in North America, know it as Canadian Straight
Key Month. Randy Sly W4XJ tells us how to get involved.
RANDY: This year it takes just four letters - C S K and M - to let
everyone on the air know that they're hearing a CW operator in one of
Canada's provinces who's taking part in the Canadian Straight Key Month of
the Straight Key Century Club. The event has eliminated the use of special
callsigns. Now, hams will be heard calling "CQ C S K M," followed by their
own callsigns.
According to the SKCC website, the change was made to make it easier for
everyone to enjoy the event, which runs through to the 31st of September.
Operators who work at least six different provinces are eligible for a
special downloadable award.
The annual event is similar to the SKCC's Straight Key Month featuring US
stations. That event, which uses the callsign K3Y, takes place every January.
This is Randy Sly W4XJ.
(SKCC, RAC)
**
GAINS FOR JAPAN's OPEN-SOURCE MULTI-MODE LINEAR TRANSPONDER
PAUL/ANCHOR: Satellite enthusiasts in Japan are optimistic about their new
open-source multi-mode linear transponder - and John Williams VK4JJW tells us
why.
JOHN: The Japan Amateur Satellite Association, or JAMSAT, has announced
progress in its development of an open-source multi-mode linear transponder
for amateur radio on CubeSats. The project is called Blueberry JAM.
The international team working on the project believes it will have a model
available by the middle of 2026 and hopes to make it available to satellite
developers and universities where CubeSats are being prepared for flight.
According to a report by AMSAT News, Blueberry JAM will support linear
operation and will have the potential for delay modes, data handling and
other digital capabilities.
Because of the project's fully open-source design, the ham radio community
can expect to have access to design documents and details about the
transponder's development. The ultimate goal is to have up to 10 spacecraft
in flight with the transponder on board.
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(AMSAT)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, members of the Gwangju [GUH WAN JOO] DX Club, 6LØNJ, are
going on the air with the callsign D73G from Imja Island, IOTA number AS-060,
from the 12th through to the 14th of September. They will operate on various
bands between 160m and 70 cm using CW, SSB and FT8/FT4. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.
Masa, JK1JXZ, is on the air until the 12th of September using the callsign
A35JK from Tonga, IOTA number OC-049. Be listening on 17 and 15 metres, where
Masa has been using FT8. QSL via LoTW.
Listen for Rikk, WE9G, operating as WE9G/KH2 from Guam, IOTA number OC-026.
Rikk will be on the air from the 11th through to the 26th of September as a
single operator using two radios. His activation will be mostly digital modes
with some CW and SSB. Be listening for Rikk, who will operate on various
bands from 160-6m. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
In Sweden, eight special callsigns will be on the air from the 10th of
September through to the 12th of October to mark the 100th anniversary of the
SSA, Sweden's IARU member society. The callsigns, which will be heard on 160
through 6 metres, include 7S1ØØSSA, 8S1ØØSSA, SB1ØØSSA and others - all
containing the suffix 1ØØSSA. Visit the QRZ.com page for any of these
callsigns for more details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: AT IOTA EXPEDITION TO PAJAROS ROCKS
PAUL/ANCHOR: An enthusiastic team of operators felt swept away by the
challenge of their recent Islands on the Air Expedition to the Pajaros [PAH
hah rose] rocks off the Chilean coast. Then something else was swept away --
almost all of their equipment - by a steadily rising sea. Jason Daniels
VK2LAW concludes our newscast with their story.
JASON: A Honda generator. An IC 7000. Seven bandpass filters. Two multi-band
antennas. A 500-watt amplifier. This equipment -- and more - are all gone now
from the Pajaros rock where the team on IOTA Number SA-100 began operating on
the 18th of August as 3G1P. Ocean swells of up to 3 metres - considered the
worst seen in five years - forced Cezar, VE3LYC; Felipe, XQ7IR and Johan
PA3EXX to be evacuated by the Chilean Coast Guard three days later. Wearing
wetsuits, the hams swam to the rescuers' boats, eyeing the carefully packed-
up equipment they had to leave behind on the rock. Already they were making
plans to return for its retrieval.
Sea conditions prevented anyone from gaining access to the rock again until
the 26th of August. Afterward, the team wrote on their website: [quote] "VERY
BAD NEWS." [endquote] adding [quote] "There is absolutely nothing there
except for the beam antenna that we left anchored, which has been damaged."
[endquote] They believe that all else was swept away by the sea.
Now instead of QSOs, the trio has been collecting words of encouragement. In
one of their most recent messages to chasers and supporters, they wrote:
[quote] "We want to express our gratitude to all those who helped and will
continue to help. They are living proof that the ham spirit is alive and
well." [endquote]
To see the team's daily blog, detailing their challenges, follow the link in
this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ: https://3g1psa-100.weebly.com/ ]
This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.
(425 DX BULLETIN, 3G1P WEBSITE)
**
It's now even easier to send in your ham radio haikus to us here at Newsline!
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 Amateur News Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; Ba-Ma-Tech
Website; David Behar K7DB; DXNews; 425DX Bulletin; FCC; NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory; NZNET News; NZART; Passion Radio; QRZ.com Radio Amateurs of
Canada; Radio Club of America; shortwaveradio.de; Straight Key Century Club;
3G1P Website; Wired; Wireless Institute of Australia; YLHarmonics; 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.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 05-Sep-2025 08:16 E. South America Standard Time
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