Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2549 for Friday, September 4th, 2026
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2549 with a release date of
Friday, September 4th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Judges uncover fraud at the recent World
Radiosport Team Championship. Rock-penetrating radio aids a cave rescue
in Canada -- and wildfires damage a key repeater in Nevada. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2549 comes your way
right now.

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BILLBOARD CART
**
JUDGES OVERTURN WRTC-UK SCORES, CITING FRAUDULENT SCHEMES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the UK where, in an
unprecedented move for the World Radiosport Team Championship, the
judges of the prestigious event have overturned this year's results.
The judges said that they discovered that fraudulent means, including
use of pirate stations, were used to boost some scores - including
those of the winning team. Dave Lee M9TLB has that story.

DAVE: Acting on what it called "extraordinary information" from members
of the public after the awards ceremony for WRTC 2026 in July,
organizers have thrown out some of the competition's scores which they
believe were achieved as the result of an elaborate fraudulent
strategy. The strategy made use of bogus multiplier stations and
introduced frequency hand-offs and release of team identity - all
prohibited practices.

Most prominent were the declared victories of the top team MB2M, and
team MB2A, which the committee said were achieved in violation of
competition rules. The organizers said that the scheme included the use
of pirate stations posing as multiplier-producing stations which
favored contact with those two stations. Other teams were disqualified
after the probe also unearthed the frequency hand-offs and release of
team identity.

Organizers said they were making the announcement on September 1st
"with sadness and disappointment." They added that [quote]: "WRTC has
strived to be a competition where the outcome is based on the
competitors' performance, and is not a function of offsite helpers
assisting their competitor friends." [endquote]

Furthermore, reviewing logs for the WRTC-2023 held in Italy, the WRTC organizers detected the same fraud scheme and raised the possibility
that the Bologna event would be rescored too.

Releasing the organizers' announcement, Mark Haynes, M0DXR, the
chairman of WRTC-UK, said "the integrity of WRTC is of prime priority
and in order to path its future in a positive light, it is our
conclusion that these steps are absolutely necessary." [endquote]

This is Dave Lee M9TLB.

(WRTC)

**
CAVE RESCUE SUCCEEDS USING RADIO THAT PENETRATES ROCK

NEIL/ANCHOR: Sometimes when it's radio to the rescue, it's not always
the kind of radio we're used to finding in a typical shack, as we hear
from Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: Low-frequency radio waves with the ability to penetrate rock are
being credited in the dramatic rescue of an explorer who was trapped
for nine hours in a cave in Alberta, Canada in August.

The solution uses QDX-M radios from QRP Labs.

Volunteers with the Alberta/British Columbia Cave Rescue, part of
Search and Rescue Alberta, have been working with these digital radios
for their light weight since 2003.

According to a press release from the rescue group, the volunteers who
built the kit radios are caving enthusiasts with electrical engineering
and amateur radio backgrounds. The release said that the radio waves
are capable of carrying messages through more than 500 meters of
solidrock.

Christian Stenner, Alberta coordinator for the rescue team, said the
radio system works underground and does not need line-of-sight to the
sky as cell phones and GPS do. The system was deployed in the August
15th rescue for the first time, enabling team members who entered the
cave on Grotto Mountain to communicate via text messages to their
colleagues. They gave progress reports and made requests for any
supplies they needed.

The trapped person, who was not identified in any media reports, had
become stuck in a tight point inside what is known as the Rat's Nest
Cave. That section of the limestone cave is vertical and pitches
downward.

It was midnight when the man was freed. Paramedics in the cave aided
him through his exhaustion, risk of hypothermia and the compression of
the body during the rescue process.

The rescue agency issued a statement afterward, praising the technology
and the team.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

NEIL/ANCHOR: For a closer look at how the cave rescue happened, see the
link that appears in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrsuT64SFB4 ]

(WIA, CBC. CA: CALGARY HERALD, CTV NEWS)

**
SUCCESS IN EARTH-MOON COMMUNICATION BY LASER

NEIL/ANCHOR: In China, researchers are praising what they consider a
milestone in two-way communications with deep space - via laser. Graham
Kemp VK4BB tells us how it came about.

GRAHAM: Chinese researchers have announced the successful completion of
two-way communications between the moon and the Earth using laser.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences believes this could signal the
beginning of a so-called "information highway" for high-speed data
transmission that can eventually serve missions to the moon.

The distance covered was 400,000 km or more than 248,000 miles. The
move from near-Earth orbit testing to deep space was a milestone for researchers in the academy's Technology and Engineering Center for
Space Utilization. The scientists had previously used only
in-orbittests.

The greater bandwidth, faster speed and increased security offered by
laser communication have all been viewed as great benefits but they
were offset by such obstacles as the need for precise beam alignment,
weakness of the signal and speed of transmission.

To get improved results researchers developed high-speed
superconducting single-photon detection technology to assist with
copying the signals; they also made use of high-bandwidth signal
processing technology, reporting transmission rates of 1.25 Mbps uplink
and 100 Mbps downlink.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(XINHUA NEWS AGENCY)

**
SILENT KEY: DXPEDITIONER, CONTESTER DIEGO THOBIE, F4HAU

NEIL/ANCHOR: An accident has taken the life of an active DXpeditioner
and contester in France. We hear about him from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Diego Thobie, F4HAU, loved to operate portable from the islands
and added to the team spirit of many of those DXpeditions over the
years.

Diego, a member of the Radio Club de Provins F6KOP, was killed in a
motorcycle accident on the 23rd of August. According to a social media
post from his friend Patrick F2DX, he was killed in a head-on collision
with a truck on a small rural road and died on the scene. His
13-year-old son is reported to have survived but was taken for hospital treatment..

In social media posts, Diego's friends and fellow amateurs recalled him
as an adventurer and a proud member of many DXpedition teams, including
last year's FP5KE trip to St. Pierre & Miquelon.

A licensed amateur since 2012, he had also been part of the teams in
such major DXpeditions as 9L5A to Sierra Leone in 2024, XW4DX to Laos
in 2023, 3B7A to St. Brandon in 2018 and FT4JA to Juan de Nova in 2016.

Diego was 48.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(425 DX NEWS, FACEBOOK)

**
WILDFIRE DAMAGES CRITICAL REPEATER IN NEVADA

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Nevada area are assessing the damage to an
important repeater after a wildfire hit, knocking it off the air. Kent
Peterson KC0DGY brings us up to date.

KENT: Amateur radio repeater KA7ZAU became a victim of a raging
wildfire that consumed much of the region near Reno, Nevada last month.
The 2-metre repeater provides important connections for hams checking
into the weekly Weather Net for SKYWARN and it is a link between
amateur radio and the Red Cross.

Hams were still evaluating the repeater recently when they updated
Newsline through email. Greg Krantz, NT7Q, a director of the Sierra
Nevada Amateur Radio Society, said that the building itself suffered no
damage but it appeared that the radiant heat burned the feedline
leading to the antennas. The hams were still needing to inspect the
equipment to see if anything there was damaged.

He told Newsline that the plan was to make repairs and get the site
back on the air by Labor Day weekend if the local utility, Nevada
Energy, restores power to the building.

The repeater's owner, Arlan Duwayne Robinson KA7ZAU, said that the Hawk
Fire had knocked a number of repeaters off the air when the blaze
began, affecting both amateur and commercial communications across the
region for VHF and UHF analog, P25 digital, the Fusion system and 900
MHz systems. He said that the 2-metre and 220-MHz repeater that serves
Reno, Sparks and the surrounding area have been on the air for 16 years
and operate to support ARES, SKYWARN and numerous events. Arlan is also
the Washoe County emergency coordinator for ARES.

He said: [quote] "It will take time to replace damaged equipment and
install new feedlines. The work will help restore coverage, improve reliability, and return systems to full operational status as quickly
as possible." [endquote]

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(ARLAN DUWAYNE ROBINSON, KA7ZAU; GREG KRANTZ, NT7Q)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
WA5AIR, the Texas Link System which carries Newsline on seven repeaters
on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. local time.

**
ARISS-USA INVITES SCHOOLS TO APPLY FOR ASTRONAUT CONTACTS IN 2027

NEIL/ANCHOR: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station is once
again hoping to give students a window into space. ARISS-USA is already planning its schedule of contacts for the first six months of 2027 and
is looking for educational institutions in the US to host a QSO between
their students and a member of the crew. The window for educators to
submit their proposals opened in July and will close on the 30th of
September.

The schools or other educational organizations, are expected to
incorporate the radio contact into a educational plan that exposes the
students to radio science, satellite communication, wireless technology
and, of course, space travel.

The 10-minute QSOs are voice-only contacts and provide students with a
chance to ask questions directly to the astronauts or cosmonauts.

For additional details about requirements for submitting a formal
proposal, visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://ariss-usa.org/us-educators-talk-to-an-astronaut-on-the-space-st ation-from-your-school/ ]

(ARISS-USA)
**
TOKELAU ZK3ZL DXPEDITION POSTPONED UNTIL 2027

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you have been waiting for the DXpedition to Tokelau in November, you're going to be waiting a bit longer. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF
shares the team's latest announcement.

JIM: Only weeks after announcing that they were bringing a team of
operators to Tokelau for a DXpedition in November, organizers have
announced the trip to the New Zealand island territory has been
postponed for a year.

The ZK3ZL DXpedition would have been the first to Tokelau since the
ZK3A activation in 2019. Organizers said that the cancelled plans were
the result of "an administrative error" that caused the operators to
lose their bookings for the return trip by ferry. The team issued a
statement saying: [quote] "With no other reasonably priced
transportation alternative, the project must be rescheduled."
[endquote]

The Perseverance DX Group and the Western Washington DX Club will
coordinate their new plans with the administration on the island.
Donors can request refunds of their contributions or they will be held
in escrow.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
COUNTY TO DONATE SURPLUS TOWER TO ALABAMA HAM CLUB

NEIL/ANCHOR: An Alabama ham club is getting a gift from the county
that's a tall order - in fact, it's so tall that it's a tower, as we
hear from Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: The Jackson County Amateur Radio Club in Alabama will soon have a
new tower to help it continue to fulfill its mission of public service.
County commissioners have approved a proposal by county emergency
management agency director Joshua Whitcomb to donate the surplus tower
to the ham club. He told the commission that it wasn't worthwhile for
the county to take on $30,000 worth of repairs that the tower needs.
The tower has already been taken down and the club would need to
transport it to their headquarters.

The tower is being viewed as a useful addition to the club's network to
support the county's emergency backup communications. County attorney
John Porter told the commission that he approved the donation because
the tower would be used for emergency notification and public safety..

The club's website notes that a big part of the mission of Jackson
County ARES is to coordinate during disasters with the emergency
management agency and other public service agencies.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(JACKSON COUNTY SENTINEL, JACKSON COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)

**
FOR 11-YEAR-OLD CW OP, A MILESTONE MEMBERSHIP NUMBER

NEIL/ANCHOR: What's in a number? Ask a young radio operator from
upstate New York. Daniel Garcia W2DIY tells us about her.

DANIEL: Congratulations to Maggie Flowers, KE2AIZ, who has been
declared member number 10,000 in the Long Island CW Club. The
11-year-old New York amateur, who is a fifth generation ham, received
her license at age 7 and quickly developed a fascination for CW, which
she pursued. She has since become an avid CW contester and a mentor to
other youngsters. She says on her page on QRZ.com: "CW is my first
language."

Her recognition, published in the LICW Club's most recent newsletter,
comes after the club decided that conferring this milestone member
number should represent the future. The newsletter announcement states:
[quote] Member number 10,000 represents not only Maggie and what she
has already accomplished, but also the future of Morse code and the
importance of passing this wonderful tradition from one generation to
the next." [endquote]

This is Daniel Garcia W2DIY.

(QRZ.COM; RON PANETTA, WB2WGH, LICW)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, listen for special event station W2T which will be
on the air on Friday, September 11th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern
Time to mark the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks in the United
States. The NorthEast Wireless Radio Club NW2C will be operating from
Fort Totten in the borough of Queens. Listen for them calling CQ on the
HF bands using SSB, CW and FT8.

Luca, IK5AEQ, is using the callsign IA5/IK5AEQ from Giannutri Island,
IOTA Number EU-028, from the 9th through to the 14th of September. He
will be using SSB, the FT modes and RTTY on 40-6 meters.

Jacek, SP5EAQ, will be calling CQ as 5W0AF from Apia, Samoa, IOTA
Number OC-097, from the 21st of September through to the 12th of
October. He will operate SSB on 80-10m.

Operators using the callsign CS5AIRA/M will be on the air on the 12th
of September from 10 am to 5 pm local time, activating at the Aveiro
base of Infantry Regiment No. 10, in Portugal. A.I.R.A is an Aveiro,
Portugal, based association supporting ham radio operators.

Antonio, who is in Uganda doing humanitarian work, will be active in
his spare time as 5X3M through to the end of December of 2027. Antonio
is operating on SSB and can be heard on various HF bands.

Special-event operators from the D A R C are using two special event
callsigns for different events from the 1st through to the 30th of
September. Listen for DB26YLBB, marking the F I B A Women's Basketball
World Cup, which is being hosted in Berlin from September 4th through
the 13th. Listen also for DM0CRACY, commemorating the International Day
of Democracy, which the United Nations declared to be the 15th of
December.

For information about any of these stations, or QSL instructions, see
QRZ.com

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: HAMS HIT THE ROAD FOR 200 MILES OF SAFE CYCLING

NEIL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we travel to the western US, where
ham radio operators in four US states are preparing to support the
longest bicycle race in North America to be sanctioned by the
organization, USA Cycling. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us what's
involved.

RALPH: The numbers are daunting: an estimated 1,700 cyclists; a
distance of more than 200 miles; three mountain passes along a course
that, at some points, approach 9,800 feet.

None of this can be done on the 12th of September without the more than
100 amateur radio operators who have helped to support this event since
1991. The race is known as the LoToJa.Classic, a shorthand for Logan,
Utah to Jackson, Wyoming, which is the beginning and endpoint of a
course with limited cellular coverage and plenty of risks along theway.

The ham radio safety net is being coordinated by the Bridgerland
Amateur Radio Club. One of the organizers, Kevin Reeve, N7RXE, said in
a press release that hams are deployed in various ways throughout the
course to keep the support continuous. That requires 35 radio-equipped
vehicles along the course, some of them roving while others follow the
packs of cyclists. They often spend as many as 14 hours on the road.

The course itself is covered by 10 ham repeaters in addition to two
portable mountaintop repeaters and one portable canyon repeater.
Whether there is a mechanical breakdown, a medical incident or a lost
rider, the goal is to keep track of - and assist - everyone as
necessary.

According to the race director, Brent Chambers, the ham volunteers are essential to the event because their communication goes on,
uninterrupted. They are perhaps just as important as the bicycles and
the road beneath their wheels.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(KEVIN REEVE, N7RXE; TYLER GRIFFITHS, N7UWX)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT News; ARISS-USA; Calgary
Herald; the CBC; CTV News; David Behar, K7DB; 425 DX Bulletin; Jackson
County Amateur Radio Club; Jackson County Sentinel; Kevin Reeve, N7RXE;
LICW Club; QRZ.com; Ron Panetta, WB2WGH; Tyler Griffiths, N7UWX;
Wireless Institute of Australia; World Radiosport Team Championship;
Xinhua News Agency; 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. 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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