Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2518 for Friday, January 30th, 2026

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2518 with a release date of Friday, January 30th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A ham radio business owner dies in a plane crash in Australia. Radio adventure gets the spotlight at this year's Hamvention - and meet a growing herd of SOTA Mountain Goats. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2518 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SILENT KEY: ELWOOD DOWNEY, WBØOEW, CREATOR OF HAMCLOCK

PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, we learned of the sudden death of Elwood Downey, WBØOEW, the developer and creator of the popular open-source HamClock software. The popular Linux-based digital information display has been a mainstay in amateur radio shacks, where hams have eagerly awaited updates and new versions.

The revelation that Elwood had become a Silent Key on Thursday, the 29th of January, was accompanied by a message on his clearskyinstitute.com website. It announced his death, adding that the final release of HamClock is version 4.22. All HamClocks are to stop functioning in June of this year. In a separate posting on Facebook, Bruce Kempf, KC3JS, announced that he was halting all sales of turnkey HamClocks until there is a functioning replacement. He asked for fellow HamClock enthusiasts to help find a means to get a functioning server and edit the code to allow this to work.

(CLEARSKYINSTITUTE, FACEBOOK)

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HAM RADIO BUSINESS OWNER KILLED IN PLANE CRASH IN AUSTRALIA

PAUL/ANCHOR: The pilot of a private plane that crashed North of Australia's Gold Coast has been identified as an amateur radio operator and successful businessman. He was well-known for the ham-radio equipment business he built decades earlier from a garage-based operation. We hear about him from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: The single-engine plane had just taken off from a private airstrip on Tuesday, January 27th, when it came down, killing the pilot and his passenger at the scene. The pilot was identified as Greg Ackman, VK4BBX, owner of Mobile One Australia. Various news reports described him as an experienced aviator. His passenger was said to be from Sydney. According to media reports, the two were on their way to New South Wales.

Greg designed much of the amateur equipment sold by the company he founded. A ham since 2021, he was a visible presence at amateur radio events throughout Australia. At the time Newsline went to production, investigators were still trying to determine the cause of the crash.

Greg was 73. Vale Greg Ackman.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORP., BRISBANE TIMES)

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HAMS MARK 96TH ANNIVERSARY OF PLUTO'S DISCOVERY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Do you want to come visit Pluto? It doesn't involve space travel - it just means you're committed to helping mark yet another anniversary of its discovery -- by the uncle of one of the special event operators! Randy Sly W4XJ tells us what we need to know.

RANDY: Amateur radio operators will be on the air as W7P from February 14th through the 22nd to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto and to continue the countdown to the 100th anniversary in 2030.

This year the event sponsors are hoping to have a number of visiting operators join the fun! Bob Wertz, NF7E, told AR Newsline <quote> The Northern Arizona DX Association invites out-of-state ham radio clubs and operators to join us as guest operators for the W7P Pluto Discovery Anniversary Special Event operating from the very place where Pluto was discovered in 1930, the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Visiting hams will need to contact Bob ahead of time to be placed on the schedule.

In addition to operations at the observatory, Doug Tombaugh, N3PDT, nephew of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930, will lead a team of operators at W7P/Ø. Doug said that he especially enjoys making contact with other amateurs who knew his uncle or were involved in other activities related to Pluto.

For more information, look up W7P on QRZ.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

(NORTHERN ARIZONA DX ASSOCIATION)


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HAMVENTION CELEBRATES THE ADVENTURE OF RADIO

PAUL/ANCHOR: For ham radio operators, adventure comes in all forms - whether it means landing on a remote island for a two-week DXpedition or hiking to activate a summit in a national park. Others simply see adventure in the annual challenge to make that trip to Xenia, Ohio to attend Hamvention. Whatever your personal challenge is, it's in the spotlight this year as Hamvention organizers have just announced that "Radio Adventure!" is the theme for the three days from May 15th through to May 17th at the Greene County fairgrounds.

Even if your biggest adventure ends up being your decision on what new rig to take home with you this year, expect the gates to be open, as usual, for a reunion among friends and your ham radio family.

(HAMVENTION)

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ANNUAL "AM RALLY" TURNS BACK THE CALENDAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: It's not time to turn the clocks just yet - here in the US, we take a one-hour leap forward in a few weeks. It is, however, time to turn back the calendar in just a few days and revisit amateur radio's first voice mode. Sel Embee KB3TZD has those details.

SEL: Long before there was Single Sideband there was AM, or Amplitude Modulation, the only HF voice mode available to previous generations of amateur radio operators.

AM operators are still on the air - holding nets and having QSOs - although AM's rich, warm tones are heard less often on the bands these days. That's about to change. From 0000 UTC on Saturday February 7th through to 0700 UTC on Monday, February 9th, everyone gets a chance to be part of this annual operating event. Any type of radio equipment will get you in the game as long as it is capable of full carrier amplitude modulation.

The action will take place on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 , and 6 metre amateur radio bands.

For details about the different power categories, rig categories or operating procedure, visit the website amrally.com If you are a newcomer to operating on AM, there's plenty of information there to help you get started.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(AMRALLY.COM)

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STATEWIDE POTA ACTIVATORS' CLUB DEBUTS CALLSIGN

PAUL/ANCHOR: Even as parts of the US, including the New England states, were suffering through days of sub-freezing temperatures recently, a dedicated group of park activators in Connecticut had a good warm feeling - and they headed to the park to celebrate by getting on the air. Travis Lisk, N3ILS, tells us more.

TRAVIS: If you happened to work WB1CT on the first morning of the new year, you are part of the inaugural POTA log of the Connecticut Parks On The Air activators group. The club has been around - and growing - since its first informal activities in early 2021. Until recently, most of their hunters are more familiar with their previous callsign, K2D, the special event one-by-one callsign it shared with the Connecticut operators in the 13 Colonies Event each July. Group director Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH, told Newsline that as the group grew larger and added even more activities, it made sense to become an official nonprofit club, which is did in late 2025. The FCC granted the club callsign shortly afterward.

With a special park-to-park net that helps activators get more Connecticut parks in their logs, the club continues to evolve, both in activities and membership. The group has more than 100 POTA activators throughout the state. When they're not on the air, they keep in touch regularly via a groups.io list.

Be listening for WB1CT calling "CQ POTA" or, if you happen to live in Connecticut, join the action. You can find details on the club's page on QRZ.com

This is Travis Lisk, N3ILS.

(CONRAD TRAUTMANN, N2YCH)

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SILENT KEY: NOTED DXPEDITIONER DAVID ASSAF III, W5XU

PAUL/ANCHOR: A noted DXpeditioner and active member of the Intrepid-DX Group has become a Silent Key. We hear more about him from Stephen Kinford N8WB.

STEPHEN: David Assaf III, W5XU, had a long amateur radio life which began when he was still in high school. It gathered momentum - and more of a spirit of adventure -,over time. The DXpeditioner was 71 years old when in 2016 he activated South Sandwich Island with the Intrepid-DX group as VP8SGI and Thule Island as VP8STI, in a place uninhabitable except by penguins.

He became a Silent Key on January 18th, according to his online obituary.

David, who discovered ham radio as a high school electronics enthusiast, would go on to a lifetime of other discoveries and many DXpeditions, including Russell Reef, as 9MØW, and Melish Reef, 9M6MA.

An active member of the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club, his commitment to helping his Louisiana community spurred him into service by assisting emergency communications during Hurricane Betsy in 1965 - an action for which the city of New Orleans honored him.

David was 80.

This is Stephen Kinford N8WB.

(INTREPID DX GROUP, QRZ.COM, LEGACY.COM)

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BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society's W4DW repeater at 8 p.m. local time on Sundays.

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ARDC GRANT FULFILLS SATELLITE, SPACE GOALS FOR N.C. CLUB

PAUL/ANCHOR: A grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications has helped one club in North Carolina fulfill its dreams of space, satellites and the ISS. We have that story from Jim Damron N8TMW.

JIM: An important terrestrial contact made recently by the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society has brought the promise of so many more contacts that can now happen in space. For this club and the youngsters at the Conn Magnet Elementary School, Friday the 30th of January will be remembered as a big day for their scheduled QSO with the International Space Station - a direct contact made via amateur radio.

The North Carolina hams have a long history of answering school and youth-group requests to assist with ham radio satellite contacts and even ISS communications. But, as club member Carl Davis, W8WZ, told Newsline, it was always challenging to assemble the necessary equipment because to answer each request, members had to dismantle and transport the appropriate radio gear from individual members own homes.

The club reached out successfully to Amateur Radio Digital Communications which gave them a $14,000 grant and the means to buy portable equipment dedicated for amateur satellite and ARISS contacts, such as the late-January QSO under the direction of John Brier K4EB.

Carl said that while the new equipment will help inspire the next generation to explore the power of amateur radio, it will also enable more club members to train to assist with the ARISS contacts. Within the club itself, more members will also learn to become skilled satellite operators.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW.

(CARL DAVIS, W8WZ)


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ARTEMIS 2 LAUNCHPAD IMAGE CAPTURED BY ASTRONAUT

PAUL/ANCHOR: All eyes, it seems, are on the Artemis 2 moon rocket since its recent rollout onto the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From high above the earth, another pair of eyes - and the lens of a camera - have been watching too, as we hear from Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: From his front-row seat aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Chris Williams, KJ5GEW, got the best view of all of the Artemis 2 as it awaits its crew of four. Chris was able to capture the image on camera. He posted it on the social media site, X, on Monday the 19th of January.

Alongside the image he wrote: [quote] "If you zoom in on the rightmost launch pad, you can see a shadow just to the left of the center of the pad. That shadow is from the rocket and launch tower that will soon take four of my friends on a trip around the moon." [endquote]

They're not just his friends and fellow astronauts - just like Chris, three of them have their ham radio licenses: Commander Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT, pilot Victor Glover, KI5BKC and mission specialist, Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU. The fourth crew member is mission specialist Christina Koch. The crew's launch toward the moon could come as early as February.

Though Chris is scheduled to stay aboard the ISS for a few more months, once Artemis is launched, the crew won't coming by for their closeup. The journey is expected to last 10 days before it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(SPACE.COM, TECHEBLOG, NASA)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, five operators will be active during the AU7RS DXpedition to Agatti, IOTA Number AS-011, in the Lakshadweep Islands. The activation is scheduled for the 8th through to the 14th of February. Be listening on 160 through 6 metres where they will be using CW, SSB and FT8. They will also operate via the QO-100 satellite.

Andre, PD1DRE, is using the callsign PJ2/PD1DRE from Curacao, IOTA Number SA-099, until the 4th of March. He is calling QRZ on SSB and FT8/FT4.

In Placencia, Belize, listen for Walt, WØCP using the callsign V31DJ, operating CW and SSB. His wife Mary, KØZV will be using the callsign V31DK, operating FT8 and FT4. They will be on the air from the 1st through to the 27th of February.

John, W5JON, is active with the callsign V47JA from St. Kitts, IOTA Number NA-104), through to the 3rd of February. He is operating SSB and FT8 on various bands.

For all these contacts, see QRZ.com for QSL information.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

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KICKER: A FAMILY OF MOUNTAIN GOATS GROWS THE HERD

PAUL/ANCHOR: People who are familiar with goats will tell you that they are strongly associated with courage, resilience and tenacity. Families of goats are almost always close-knit, social and very supportive of one another. So what do goat families have to do with Washington state's Henderson family? Ralph Squillace KK6ITB is here to explain in our final story for this week.

RALPH: In early January, 14-year-old Niels Henderson became the youngest Mountain Goat in the US in the Summits on the Air awards scheme, He did it barely one month after his 16-year-old brother, Soren, KK7UKE, set the same record on a snowy summit this past Christmas Day. Their mother, Corrinne, KK7ULL, was the first in the family to ascend to Mountain Goat heights. She achieved that status this past October after 13 months of steady SOTA activations.

With 1,000 points needed to classify a SOTA activator as a Mountain Goat, that means a total of 3,000 points between proud mom and her two sons. Corrinne told Newsline that the family decided in 2024 that amateur radio would be great to have along on their adventures as avid hikers - and so they went for it, joining her husband Jason, KC7EPG, who has been licensed since his teens. Jason had convinced them that amateur radio would add another measure of security when they were hiking in areas with poor cell service. Then, members of their ham radio club suggested that the family start activating summits, She and Jason were hooked.

Corrinne said that work commitments recently slowed Jason's climb to join his Goat family at the top but he's getting there. With Jason needing only 80 more points, she said that before too long, [quote] "We'll be our own little SOTA Mountain Goat herd." [endquote] No doubt the Hendersons will be one herd who's definitely being heard.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(CORRINNE HENDERSON, KK7ULL)

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Are you ready to write a ham radio haiku? It's easy - even if you've never written a single line of poetry in your life. 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 Angela N3RB; Amateur Radio Daily; Australian Broadcasting Corp; Brisbane Times; Carl Davis, W8WZ; Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH; Corrinne Henderson, KK7ULL; David Behar, K7DB; 425DX Bulletin; Hamvention; James Gifford, N8KET; Matt, K2EAG; NASA; Northern Arizona DX Association; QRZ.com Forums; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana 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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