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From: VK7AXDate: Sun, 28 Jun 26 02:17:00 Z
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Subject: VK National News 28Jun26
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VK National News 28Jun26
Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2026-06-28.mp3
Text edition:
2026 JUNE 28 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:-
Angelo VK2NWT WIA Affiliated Clubs coordinator. -
John VK4JPM and "Crisis Averted". -
John VK4JJW and just WHY did orbiting Cosmonauts cosmonauts drill into
the walls of the ISS Zvezda module.
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 JUNE 28 2026
I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB
WIA
JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y
This is Angelo Giuffr, VK2NWT WIA Affiliated Clubs coordinator with some news about the next Club Presidents Webinar.
Whilst the last meeting was scheduled for the 14th of June, unfortunately some last-minute unforeseen circumstances prevented t
hat meeting from going ahead.
Im keen to advise that a new meeting has now been scheduled for Sunday, the 14th of July, at 4:00 PM AEST.
All club Presidents were sent an email this week with notice of the new meeting date and time as well as the meeting agenda.
A Teams meeting link will be sent out to all Club Presidents a few days prior to the meeting, and I would urge all Club Preside
nts to attend for the benefit of your respective Club. Club Presidents are most welcome to nominate another Committee member to
attend if they are unable to do so by contacting me via email.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this meeting or any other general Affiliated Club matters by email; clu
bs@nationaloffice.wia.org.au
This is Angelo VK2NWT for WIA National News
AUSTRALIANA
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced it is consulting on remaking the Radiocommunications (Em
ergency Locating Devices) Class Licence 2016, which is due to sunset on 1 October.
ACMAs view is that the class licence is operating effectively and efficiently, and proposes to revoke it and remake it with min
or changes.
The Radiocommunications (Emergency Locating Devices) Class Licence 2016 is due to sunset on 1 October 2026.
The class licence authorises the operation of emergency locating devices that are categorised as either:
Satellite distress beacons, also known as Emergency PositionIndicating Radio Beacon stations (EPIRBs) locating aids on shared f
requencies.
The proposed changes are to:
clarify and regularise operational and testing practices
modernise the drafting.
Details of the proposal are in the consultation paper. A copy of the draft Radiocommunications (Emergency Locating Devices) Cla
ss Licence 2026 and the notice required under subsection 136(2) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992 are also available.
A Gazette notice about the revocation of the class licence is available on the Federal Register of Legislation.
"Crisis Averted."
Now for something completely different - I'm John VK4JPM and here's an invitation from a sector adjacent to ham radio.
Once upon a time pretty much every broadcast engineer had their ham ticket as well, and was active in the hobby. We all know t
hat broadcast radio is a technology business, and community radio especially - without the mostly volunteer techs that keep sta
tions running then nothing would happen.
Technorama is the peak body for community radio technologists, and on 25 July Technorama will be running the Queensland leg of
this year's roadshow in Broadbeach - intriguingly titled "Crisis Averted". It's a day of information, how-to sessions, discuss
ions on how to avoid disaster, and a heap of social networking. The cost of attendance is so low that you're going to have to
check the site because you won't believe me - less than $90 even if you're not a member of Technorama but cheaper if you are.
Hams can play a very important part in running radio stations, and where else would be allowed to play with transmitters rangin
g to 10kW or more? And you probably have, or could learn, lots of skills that are really useful.
Check out their website at technorama.org.au and follow the dots.
A day of really useful stuff, and either side of that two more days of radio station tours and other sessions. What do you hav
e to lose?
24-26 July, in the heart of the Gold Coast, and lots of fun.
Check technorama.org.au for all the detail on that.
------------------------------------------------------------*
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.
MOUNT VERNON USA
Mayor John Lewis issued a proclamation Wednesday declaring June 23 to 29, 2026, as "Amateur Radio Week" in the City of Mount Ve
rnon.
His proclamation also publicized the national ARRL Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, which will take place from June 27 to 28.
This is a 24-hour emergency preparedness exercise and demonstration of the skills and readiness of amateur radio operators to "
provide self-supporting communications without further infrastructure being required," the proclamation states.
ARRL The USA National Association for Amateur Radio has introduced a new member benefit: the QST Product Review Comparison Data
base.
This online tool makes it easier to compare amateur radio transceivers, receivers, amplifiers, and transmitters by allowing use
rs to sort and filter equipment based on their own selection criteria.
This tool, introduced by the ARRL Lab, offers a familiar experience for anyone who has shopped online in recent years, said ARR
L Laboratory Manager W1GKS. For decades, the Lab has been making standardized measurements that are published in QST Product Re
views. While those reviews have long been available online, finding and comparing products often required knowing exactly what
you were looking for. The new database makes it much easier to discover and evaluate equipment based on the characteristics tha
t matter most to you.
The comparison database includes every ARRL Lab-tested device in the previously listed categories, dating back to 2012. Users c
an apply filters to narrow results to specific types of equipment and then sort products using select specifications and labora
tory measurements. Multiple products can be selected and compared side by side, making it easier to evaluate options before mak
ing a purchase decision.
Ham Radio 2026 takes place in Friedrichshafen Germany this weekend the 26th to the 28th of June.
For the first time ever, the event will bring together amateur radio and astronomy in a single platform as the Astro trade fair
will take place alongside the Ham Radio exhibition.
The opening event will provide information on current developments in amateur radio and the many connections between radio tech
nology and astronomy, which are central to this years trade show focus. RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX is one of the guest sp
eakers at the opening event. He will speak about the collaboration between DARC and the RSGB in providing an updated QSL Bureau
Service for RSGB members an innovative project that brings amateur radio together across borders.
Felix VK4FUQ will have more re the RSGB QSL bureau soon during his "operational news" segment coming up right here on WIA NATIO
NAL NEWS.
There was a particularly tense moment aboard the International Space Station earlier this month, with NASA directing their astr
onauts to secure themselves in the Dragon capsule and prepare for a potential return to Earth while their Russian counterparts
engaged in what we now know to have been some impromptu demolition work on their side of the orbiting complex.
Despite objections from their American partners, Roscosmos had given their cosmonauts the go-ahead to drill and cut into the wa
lls of the Zvezda module one of the core components of the ISS which has been in orbit since 2000 to try and identify and ult
imately repair persistent leaks that have been venting the Stations atmosphere out into space for several years. We may never k
now the exact nature of the behind-the-scenes communication that went on between the two space agencies, but in the end the Rus
sians abandoned their plan and NASAs personnel were told to resume their normal duties.
But where do things go from here? Although its true the International Space Station is entering its final years, the mission is
nt over yet, and that means the two countries need to continue to work together if they hope to get any science done in the tim
e they have left.
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
Weve talked before about number stations mysterious shortwave transmitters repeating numbers, presumably for clandestine purpo
ses. But, of course, the mere fact that they are unusual makes them stand out. The best place to hide something is in plain sig
ht.
In the old days, a broadcaster might slip a fake news story in mentioning a name that has a secret meaning, for example. But ac
cording to Steven Murdoch, in a post on TWIAR, the United States has an even more obvious hiding place for a numbers station:
Inside GPS.
Every L1 C/A navigation message is a 176-bit field known by the affectionate moniker: Subframe 4, Page 17. The GPS specificatio
n says it is for special messages.
No one has disclosed what those messages might be.
University College London analysed over 12 million GPS packets from 2007 to 2026, trying to understand what was in this field.
You might think 176 bits isnt much, and you are right.
BUT
The L1 C/A signal carries 50 bits per second, and each frame is 1,500 bits. As [Murdoch] points out: every bit much earn its pl
ace. Each sub frame is 300 bits, so this mysterious signal is 12% of the sub frame.
It MUST be important to someone.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATIONAL NEWS -
--------------
--------------
NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2026
WIA contest page :- wia.org.au/members/contests/about/
-----------------
JULY 4-5 NZART MEMORIAL CONTEST
---------------
JULY 11-12 IARU HF CHAMPIONSHIP
-------------
JULY 18 VK TRANS TASMAN CONTEST
---------------
JULY 25-26 RSGB IOTA CONTEST
----------------
AUGUST 15-16 RD CONTEST
----------------
AUGUST 29 - 30 ALARA CONTEST
------------
SEPTEMBER 19-20 VHF UHF FIELD DAY
-----------
OCTOBER 3-4 OCEANA SSB CONTEST
-----------------
OCEANA CW CONTEST is OCTOBER 10 - 11
-------------
OCTOBER 24-25 CQWW SSB
-----------------
NOVEMBER 28-29 CQWW CW CONTEST
-------------
DECEMBER 1-31 VK YOTA contest.
-------------
DECEMBER 12-13 ARRL 10 METER CONTEST
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NOW LET'S OPEN THE DX WINDOW TO THE WORLD ------------
-------------
The RSGB QSL Bureau has issued a final notice to those still using the old QSL Bureau address.
A new system was introduced in January 2026 and users of the Bureau were advised that all outgoing QSL cards now need to be sen
t to:
RSGB QSL Bureau
PO Box 73
20 St. Loyes Street
Bedford
MK40 1ZL
Anything sent to the old address from Wednesday, 1 July 2026 will either be returned by Royal Mail, where the address is known,
or otherwise is likely to be lost or destroyed.
Details of the new RSGB QSL Service can be found on.
rsgb.org/main/operating/qsl-bureau/
(rsgb)
---------------
A special event organized by Rseau des metteurs Franais will celebrate the Tour de France. Each stage of the tour will feature
its own callsign. Both men's and women's tours will be represented July 4th through August 9th.
For over a century, the Tour de France cycling race has embodied excellence, self-improvement, and the connection between regio
ns. Through this initiative, we aimed to spread the radio amateur spirit throughout France, mobilizing operators, radio clubs,
and local associations. The promotion of know-how, team spirit, and friendly competition reminds us of our commitment to servic
e, knowledge transmission, and innovation.
See the TM00TFR QRZ page for more information about operating modes and awards.
(ARD)
------------------
Special callsign YR100RC is active until the 30th of September to celebrate the centenary of Romania's first amateur radio club
. Look for activity on the HF bands using FT8 and SSB.
For details of a certificate that is available for working the station visit tinyurl.com/YR100RC
(rsgb)
-------------
Tom VK2TBC is active as VK 0 TBC from Casey Station, Antarctica
until December. He will operate SSB and FT8.
vk2tbc.com
(425dxnews)
-----------
REPEATER NEWS
Hello fellow WIA Members, Ham Radio Operators and Hobbyists, my name is David and my Callsign is VK5LSB with some news and note
s on behalf of the South Australian Repeater Group.
The South Australian Repeater Group is continuing to develop and grow quite rapidly with the group now having over 50 members w
hich has far exceeded our goals and expectations in such a short period of time.
It is pleasing that so many amateur radio operators are wanting to be involved in this dynamic group and moving forward with te
chnology and advances in amateur radio.
On a Wednesday evening at 20:00 hrs the South Australian Repeater Group hosts a group on net the Adelaide Linked Repeater Netwo
rk as our membership base is so broad and spread out across Adelaide and its regions, so what better way than give everyone the
chance to join in on the radio net utilising the Adelaide Linked Repeater Network.
We looking forward to chatting with you all on the SARG Net on Wednesday Night on the Linked Repeater Network at 20.00hrs local
time.
The Executive Members of the group are continuing on developing and creating an exciting and informative web page for the group
which now is online and can be found at the web address SARG.AU, the web page is not fully complete at this point and as such
changes will continue to be made in its development and information, have a look at the page, and I say again that the address
is SARG.AU so take a look at our webpage.
VK5OG Nathan and other members of the group have been busy with updating Mech Core Repeaters across Adelaide, and at the time o
f this broadcast 26 Meshcore Repeaters have been installed and are operational across the Adelaide Plains and some Regional Are
as. We are working with other like-minded ham radio clubs of AHARS and AREG and last weekend a new Meshcore Repeater was instal
led at the AREG site at Koch Hill.
You can also follow the South Australian Repeater Group on our Facebook page which contains lots of exciting news, announcement
s, activities, and information on becoming a member along with the online membership registration form for you to become a memb
er if you wish too.
On that note folks keep your eyes and ears open and we looking forward to you becoming members of the South Australian Repeater
Group.
This has been David VK5LSB on behalf of the South Australian Repeater Group. 73 all and stay safe.
-------------------------------------------------------------.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ASTRONOMY (and Wireless Weather)
Radio astronomers are celebrating a milestone: the first capture of signals by a prototype radio telescope in New Mexico that w
ill eventually succeed the Very Large Array of the US National Science Foundation. Kent Peterson KCDGY has those details.
"A proposed new antenna array being developed will be massive, consisting of 244 antennas and stretching more than 8,045 kilome
tres, or 5 thousand miles. Tests of its prototype recently attracted attention for another reason: the new next-generation Very
Large Array radio antenna gathered signals for the first time - a key moment for a design that is expected to provide higher s
ensitivity and spatial resolution than the current system. Working alongside the 27 antennas of the VLA, it tracked the Crab Ne
bula and the sun and it observed the bright galactic nucleus known as Perseus A.
The National Science Foundation's National Radio Astronomy Observatory sees promise in its ability to go beyond the capacity of
the current Very Large Array. The test in the New Mexico desert was conducted in collaboration with the current VLA, which was
built starting in the 1970s. Its encouraging results mark the prototype system's transition from being a project under constru
ction to a tool capable of making independent observations and conducting astronomical testing. It is expected to form the basi
s for the eventual 244-antenna array.
This is Kent Peterson KCDGY."
(arnewsline2530)
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/
2026 VKFF National Get Together.
Are you an avid portable operator?
Do you enjoy hunting those operating in the field?
Are you a newly licensed amateur and want to know how to get started in
portable operating?
Then its time to save the date for the 4th annual VKFF National Get Together. This year the VKFF Team are hosting the National
Get Together in Albury, New South Wales, commencing Friday 30th October and concluding on Sunday 1st November.
The event kicks off with a Friday night dinner.
Saturday will see a day of displays and presentations from experienced speakers followed by a dinner function with special gues
t speaker Chris, VK3QB, Team Leader for the VJ2L DXpedition to Lord Howe Island.
Sunday will start with a BBQ breakfast followed by an antenna construction session. Sunday afternoon will see many amateurs hea
d out to the field to activate VKFF parks. The event will wrap up with a dinner on the Sunday evening.
You can come along to any part of the weekends activities, but you must register to attend. Walk ups to the event will not be a
ccepted.
To register, or for more information on the 2026 VKFF National Get Together head to the WWFF Australia website at:
wwffaustralia.com
On behalf of the VKFF team this has been Chris, VK1CHW 73 & 44
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - BALLOONS
When you are a world traveller, making your way across 53 countries in more than 6 laps around the globe, there's no shame in
meeting your match - and your demise - at the hands of a typhoon in Japan.
The little Sky Tracker Pico balloon enjoyed a triumphant launch by Sky Academy students and the Englewood Amateur Radio Society
in February. It carried the callsign N4EAR-1 and a lot of hope and ambition as it soared, communicating via APRS -- that is, u
ntil it met the Category 1 storm known as Jangmi over Japan on the 2nd of June. Its journey of 153,468 miles or 24,689 kilometr
es, ended there, 103 days and 14 hours after it had first begun.
There was loss, yes, but no grief.
Club President Bill Reed K7WWR said "It was a great weak-signal learning experience and a great kickoff of our STEM support of
Sky Academy and a great learning experience for the students."
The flight of the little balloon not only launched the school's STEM program but the partnership with the amateur radio society
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