Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2524 for Friday, March 13th, 2026 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2524 with a release date of Friday, March
13th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. DXpeditioners face new restrictions on a South
Pacific island. The World Radiosport Team Championship prohibits
symbols identifying home nations -- and a 2-metre simplex challenge for everyone! All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2524 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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RESTRICTIONS TO IMPACT KANTON ISLAND DXPEDITIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: While most every DX chaser's eyes have been on Bouvet
Island in the South Atlantic lately, another DXpedition planned for
later this month has taken on new importance for activators in the
South Pacific. New restrictions will be in force soon that are expected
to limit access there. Here's Graham Kemp VK4BB with an update.

GRAHAM: The Rebel DX Group's plan to operate as T31TTT this month from
Kanton Island in central Kiribati could well be the last for amateur
radio for a long time, according to a report from organisers on the
website DX-World.

Dom, 3D2USU, said that the nation's fishery and environmental officials
have put in place a full array of costs affecting visitors. He said
that these new permit fees and other requirements will impose a great
financial burden on teams. DXpeditioners will need to provide
accommodation, food and transportation for four government officials
who will need to be present on any future visits to Kanton.

He says that in simple terms future Kanton Island DXpeditions will cost
about 200,000 US dollars which makes T31 prohibitive.

The obstacles are not unlike some of the restrictions the same group of operators face for its hoped-for trip to Conway Reef 3D2/C. Since Rebel
DX's 2024 operation there in May 2024 as 3D2CCC, Fiji's Ministry of
Fisheries has begun moving toward declaring it a restricted-access
zone. The group announced in January that, with those plans in mind,
the hams are accelerating their plans for an activation there.

Meanwhile, the DXpeditioners are hoping to get to Kanton Island and be
on the air sometime around March 25th.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(DX-WORLD)

**
WRTC NOT PERMITTING NATIONAL FLAGS, SYMBOLS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Symbols of national pride - and national identity - are
not being permitted at this year's World Radiosport Team Championship.
Dave Lee M7TLB brings us up to date.

DAVE: Spectators and participants can expect to see plenty of things at
the World Radiosport Team Championship event in the UK this coming
July. There will be antennas, rigs, cables, microphones and keys -- and
plenty of spectators to cheer on the hams using them.

What will not be evident anywhere are any emblems, flags or other
symbols of national identity. The Organising Committee of WRTC 2026
has reaffirmed the approach that was used during the WRTC event held in
2023 in Bologna, Italy. That means that, as before, this year's teams
will avoid national symbols of any kind. This is especially significant
because it is consistent with the competition's qualification process
which identifies all participants by qualification area and not by
their DXCC.

Like the Olympics, the WRTC is held every four years with different
host countries each time. They have included Brazil, Finland, Germany,
Russia, Slovenia and, in the US, San Francisco, Boston and Seattle.

This is Dave Lee M7TLB.

(WRTC)

**
AUSTRALIAN HAMS CHALLENGE HIGHER FEES ON STATE LANDS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in the Australian state of New South Wales are
worried that they will no longer be able to afford their vital repeater
sites. Faced with fee hikes on state-owned land, known as Crown Land,
they say they simply aren't budgeted for the extra expense. Jason
Daniels VK2LAW picks up the story from here.

JASON: Amateurs in New South Wales are troubled by what they believe
are prohibitive fee hikes recently put in place for access to Crown
Land.

Calling the situation "unsustainable" for amateur repeaters and other
equipment installed there, the president of the Goulburn & Southern
Highlands Amateur Radio Society has written a letter to ham clubs
around the state, urging members to contact their members of
Parliament.

In his open letter to the clubs, Pete Chatwin, VK2PET, the radio
society's president, noted that new or continued access to elevated
Crown Land sites for repeaters and towers could cost clubs as much as
AU$20,000 per annum. Pete said that hams need to substantiate their own
clubs' financial hardship by forwarding examples to Steph Cooke, member
for Cootamundra and Shadow Minister for Crown Lands.

Pete wrote: [quote] "It is important that we provide genuine, practical examples of how these costs are affecting clubs across NSW." [Endquote]
He said that groups in rural areas as well as those providing emergency communications and training, rely on robust functioning networks that
include these sites.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

**
FEDERAL COURT RULES AGAINST VOA LEADERSHIP

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Actions taken in the past year by the head of the US
Agency for Global Media - which oversees the Voice of America -- have
been ruled unlawful by a federal judge. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us
what happened.

KENT: A federal court has ruled that Kari Lake's oversight of the
agency responsible for Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other
shortwave news broadcast networks, was in the position illegally. Her appointment to the post, which she gave up last November, was made last
July without the customary confirmation by the US Senate. Lake told the
website Politico that the government intends to appeal the decision
which she "strongly disagrees" with. Her brief tenure was marked by
firings of staff and dismissals of contractors, withholding of funds to
Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia and a contract with the far-right
news provider, One America Network..

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(POLITICO, TV TECHNOLOGY)

**
HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Hamvention Award winners have been announced -- and
Kevin Trotman N5PRE is here to tell us who they are.

KEVIN: Four influential US amateurs and a well-known club based in New
York State have been chosen to receive this year's Hamvention Awards.

The Technical Achievement Award is being given to Robert Famiglio K3RF,
whose six decades as a ham radio operator are followed by more than
four decades of providing volunteer legal counsel and regulatory
literacy to his fellow amateurs on a variety of issues. In addition to
being a lawyer, Bob has used his ham and electrical-engineering
background to provide technical expertise. He has previously been
involved in leadership roles in the Radio Club of America and,
formerly, the ARRL.

Dr. Jose "Otis" Vicens NP4G has been named Amateur of the Year. An orthodontist, he has also been involved in DXpeditions at various
locations globally, including Bouvet Island. His most recent DXpedition
took him to Desecheo Island where he operated as part of the KP5/NP3VI
team. Otis' leadership role in emergency communication provided vital coordination during the 2017 Puerto Rico hurricanes as well as
followup.

Special Achievement Award has been given to Martha Fell N3QBE and Joe
Fell W3GMS for their longtime mentorship of students of all ages and
interests through a program they have organized and a weekly technical
net that welcomes newcomers as well as professional engineers.

Hamvention is also recognizing the Long Island CW Club as Club of the
Year. Under the club's umbrella, structured online classes provide all
levels of CW training - led by members - for diverse groups of students
around the world.

Congratulations everyone!

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(JAMES GIFFORD, N8KET)

**

BREAK HERE; Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the VK8MA repeater in Australia's Northern Territory on 7 p.m.
localtime.

**
CAMBODIAN STUDENTS EXPLORE SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: University students in Cambodia got a chance recently
to focus on space communication by being part of satellite contacts and
a QSO from Phnom Penh with the ISS. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us about
their accomplishments.

JIM: The logbook of callsign XU7AMO - the Radio Club of the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia - once again has made contact with
space. A satellite training session between the 26th of February and
the 3rd of March gave 300 students a hands-on learning experience,
building and utilising antenna systems, gaining an understanding of
ground stations and learning to track low-earth orbit satellites. An international team joined the session to support the different
activities. They included ham radio satellite technician Mikio JA3GEP
and marine electronics and telecommunications systems expert
PauloF5VMJ.

The students focused on low-earth orbit satellites and had a contact
with the International Space Station. This was a follow-up to last
year's session when XU7AMO operated for the first time using the QO-100 satellite. Making their first contact with Antarctica, they had a question-and-answer session with DO0GVN at Neumayer III, the German
research base. That QSO had been made possible after the Cambodian Telecommunications Regulatory Commission authorised the station's use
of the higher frequencies needed for the transmission.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(PHNOM PENH POST, AMSAT NEWS, PAULO F5VMJ)

**
NEW INDIANA LAW PROTECTS HAM RADIO ANTENNAS, TOWERS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: While hams around the US remain optimistic over the
hoped-for passage of a national law that would prevent homeowners'
association from restricting residents' amateur radio equipment,
Indiana's governor has signed a new law to provide such protection for
hams throughout the state. Andy Morrison K9AWM has that update.

ANDY: Starting on the 1st of July, amateur radio antennas, towers and
feedlines cannot be restricted by homeowners associations in
residential communities in Indiana. A new law signed by Gov. Mike Braun
will afford hams such protection on any property they rent, lease or
own within the association's purview.

This is not a green light for all amateurs, however. According to the
measure's language on the Indiana General Assembly website House Bil
number 1152 will only apply to homeowner's associations that are formed
or create documents containing such restrictions after June 30th, 2026.

Meanwhile, at the federal level, the Amateur Radio Emergency
Preparedness Act, which would create protection nationwide, remains
stalled in Washington, D.C. According to the website GovTrack.us, the
bill was introduced into committee on the 6th of February where it must
be considered and voted on before it can move along to either of the
two main houses of Congress.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY)

**
HURDY GURDY MUSEUM STATION BACK ON THE AIR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A new antenna installation has put the beloved Hurdy
Gurdy Museum station in Ireland back on the air, as Jeremy Boot G4NJH
tells us.

JEREMY: The sun was shining above the Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage
Radio in Howth as Tony EI5EM and Reg Shannon, a short-wave listener,
started some serious antenna work on the roof of the museum's
MartelloTower.

They were installing a vertical HF antenna donated by Mike Keane,
EI4-DF - a gift that has put County Dublin museum's ham radio station,
EI0MAR back on the air - just in time for April's International Marconi
Day. The museum lost the use of the station after its previous antenna
had been destroyed by storms. Although marked by periods of rain,
installation day finally took place under clear skies, according to a
report on the Irish Radio Transmitters' website.

The tower has a celebrated role in radio history, not only because in
1902 American innovator Lee de Forest conducted experiments in wireless telegraphy, but also because it housed a Marconi receiving station that conducted ship-to-shore telegraphy experiments with HMS Monarch.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IRTS, WIA)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Masa, JA0RQV/JD1 and Rio, JR2GYA/JD1
operating holiday style from Chichijima [CHEE CHEE JEEMAH] IOTA Number
AS-031, Ogasawara from the 13th through to the 16th of March. They are
using FT8, FT4, CW, and SSB on 80-6 metres.

Kaare, LA8EKA, is on the air as JW8EKA from Longyearbyen, IOTA Number
EU-026, Svalbard from the 13th through to the 15th of March. He
customarily operates using SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and FT8. Listen for him on
20-10 metres.

Paula, OK2YL and Vlad, OK2WX are using the callsigns V31YL and V31WX, respectively, from IOTA group NA-073, Belize through to the 22nd of
March. They are operating holiday style using CW, SSB, and FT8 on
various HF bands.

Listen for Aki, JK1JXZ, operating as YJ1JXZ from Port Vila, IOTA Number
OC-035, Vanuatu [VAH-NOO-AHH-TOO] from the 15th of March through to the
3rd of April on 80-6 metres,

As always, QSL and other information is available on QRZ.com for these stations.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: TAKE THE "FIVE TWO" SIMPLEX CHALLENGE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the space of 52 days, one ham isn't hoping to change
the world - or even change amateur radio - but he is hoping to focus
some attention on the simple joys of operating 2m FM simplex. He's
posing a challenge to everyone - and Daniel Garcia W2DIY brings this
week's newscast to its conclusion by telling us all about it.

DANIEL: If you grab your HT, tune to 146.52 MHz and call out for a
contact, you are already rising to the challenge being posed by Mike
N2MAK. Mike launched a project called the Five Two Simplex Challenge at
the beginning of March and it runs through to the end of April. He is
hoping to focus attention on 2m FM simplex for 52 days,

Mike told Newsline in an email [quote]: "I often hear from other hams
that there isn't much 2m simplex activity and they wish there was
more." [endquote]

Now, he hopes, there is: He chose this commonly monitored frequency
because, he said, plenty of people listen but few people call out. He
doesn't expect 52 days of nonstop activity but, as a portable operator
himself, he is hopeful that there are many others like him.

He intends for this to be a learning experience: Operators may get a
better idea of what their stations can do and perhaps consider upgrades
or changes. Depending on where they live, they may even get to
experience tropospheric ducting at this time of the year.

Mike said one of his most memorable contacts was on 2m simplex right
right after a POTA activation. He told Newsline: "It was a brand new
Technician who had been licensed for less than 2 weeks and it was his
first ever simplex contact! You don't forget contacts like that, no
matter which side of the radio you are on. Surprises like that are what
can make 2m simplex contacts so special and fun." [endquote]

To see Mike's YouTube video about the event, see the link in the text
version of this week's script at arnewsline.org

This is Daniel Garcia W2DIY.

[DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mivzwoRrnNY&t=148s ]

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT News Service; David Behar,
K7DB; DX-World.net; 425DX Bulletin; Indiana General Assembly: the
IRTS; James Gifford, N8KET; Mike N2MAK; Paulo F5VMJ; Pete Chatwin,
VK2PET; Phnom Penh Post; QRZ.com Forums; Radio Society of Great
Britain; shortwaveradio.de; SWLing Post; Wireless Institute of
Australia; WRTC; 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. 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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