MSGID: 1:135/250@fidonet 696aa54b   
   PID: C-NET AMIGA BBS 5.36b   
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2516 for Friday, January 16th, 2026   
        
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2516 with a release date of Friday,   
   January 16th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a QST.  US financial traders renew their call to use the HF   
   bands. RF noise grounds flights in Greece -- and California hams have extra   
   large plans for Winter Field Day. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline   
   Report Number 2516 comes your way right now.   
      
   **   
      
   BILLBOARD CART   
      
   **   
   FINANCIAL TRADERS RENEW PLEA FOR USE OF HF BANDS   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: In our top story, A group representing seven financial trading   
   firms is pressing the US Federal Communications Commission to respond to their   
   petition, submitted almost three years ago, asking for permanent allocation of   
   HF frequencies for data transmissions. Kent Peterson KCØDGY has those details.   
      
   KENT: The Shortwave Modernization Coalition is pressing the FCC for an answer   
   to its petition, which was filed in the spring of 2023. The group is seeking   
   the authorization to transmit on the bands between 2 MHz and 25 MHz under Part   
   90 of the FCC rules. A number of the bands being sought either include or are   
   adjacent to amateur radio bands.    
      
   The coalition's original filing drew substantial opposition from amateur radio   
   operators and the ARRL, citing the potential for interference. The ARRL said   
   that in 2024, the IARU's monitoring system detected what was believed to be HF   
   trading interference on the amateur portion of 20 meters.   
      
   The US Coast Guard also objected to the petition, saying additional traffic   
   would raise the noise floor for everyone.   
      
   Last year, three of the firms were given FCC approval as experimental   
   licensees. They were prohibited from charging fees or receiving payments for   
   anything related to their on-the-air operations. The coalition believes that   
   granting permanency will solidify their status in business and will not create   
   interference, as feared, because the technology exists to locate open   
   channels.    
      
   This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.   
      
   (RADIOWORLD, FCC)   
      
   **   
   RADIO NOISE CANCELS, DIVERTS FLIGHTS IN GREECE   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: Noise on the frequency is bothersome enough when you're attempting   
   to contact a much-wanted DX -- but noise on frequencies used by commercial   
   aircraft can shut commercial airspace down, as it did earlier this month in   
   Greece. Graham Kemp VK4BB has that report.   
      
   GRAHAM: Flights into Greece were temporarily grounded, delayed or diverted   
   this month after an unexplained noise was heard over radio frequencies that   
   are used to communicate with aircraft. The air-traffic radio blackout caused a   
   loss of all frequencies, according to reports from the Association of Greek   
   Air Traffic Controllers. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority told the media   
   that the cause was a [quote] "continuous involuntary emission" [endquote]   
   disrupting communications on the 4th of January.   
      
   Authorities said they were able to rule out any likelihood of a deliberate   
   attack but they were continuing their investigation into what they called an   
   unprecedented outage. It was suspected that the two-hour standstill was the   
   result of some unknown technical issue. A report by the BBC said that one   
   theory reported was that a station in the mountains near Athens had failed.   
      
   Greece's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said that there are plans to   
   upgrade the country's aging air navigation systems and have the modernization   
   in place by 2028.   
      
   This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.   
      
   (REUTERS, BBC, ABC)   
      
   **   
   SILENT KEY: ADOLF SHEPHERD, VU2AF, HELPED GROW HAMFEST INDIA   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: The ham who helped grow and shape the national event, HamFest   
   India, has become a Silent Key. We have those details from John Williams   
   VK4JJW.   
      
   JOHN: An enthusiastic CW operator who was also widely known for having a warm   
   and dignified voice on the air, Adolf Shepherd, VU2AF, believed in extending   
   friendship through the airwaves. Those who joined him on the evening HF net,   
   AIRNET India, looked forward to the welcome they always received from him as   
   net control. One radio operator, Sandeep Baruah VU2MUE, wrote in a Facebook   
   post that Adolf had a strong and positive presence on the net. He said [Quote]   
   "To countless listeners, it felt as though he was attempting to unite the   
   entire nation of India through a single, thirty-minute radio transmission,   
   binding distant operators together in a shared moment of communication and   
   purpose." [endquote]   
      
   Adolf's enthusiasm and hard work is also credited with having transformed a   
   modest regional hamfest into what is now known as HamFest India, a popular   
   national event.   
      
   Adolf, who was first licenced in 1966, was reported to be a Silent Key on the   
   7th of January. No other details were given. On his page on QRZ.com, he   
   described himself as [quote] "one of the few oldtimers still on the air."   
   [endquote]   
      
   This is John Williams VK4JJW.   
      
   (QRZ.COM, FACEBOOK)   
      
   **   
   SILENT KEY:  "LINUX IN THE HAMSHACK" HOST RUSS WOODMAN, K5TUX   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR:  Family, friends, and followers of the popular "Linux in the   
   Hamshack" podcast are grieving the loss of its host Russ Woodman, K5TUX.  Russ   
   became a Silent Key on the 14th of January.  His death came 16 days after   
   hospitalization for complications from influenza.   
      
   His wife, Cheryl, W5MOO, who posted daily updates on his condition on   
   Facebook, announced his death.      
      
   The news hit family, friends, and his followers hard.  On his YouTube channel,   
   Russ tells viewers that although he first began Linux in the Hamshack to give   
   amateurs options beyond using closed-source software, his efforts gained   
   momentum and expanded into podcasts, video tutorials, and other activities.     
   As his constituency grew, he proudly called Linux in the Hamshack (quote) "a   
   podcast, a state of mind, and a phenomenon" (endquote)   
      
   For more than 15 years, his podcast has been co-hosted by numerous fellow   
   amateurs, including his wife, Cheryl.   
      
   Russ, who was first licensed in 1993, was 56.   
      
   (FACEBOOK, QRZ.COM, YOUTUBE)   
      
      
   **   
   UK REGULATOR EYES FREQUENCY-SHARING BY DEVICES   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: Changes are proposed in the UK that would allow frequency-sharing   
   by certain devices, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   JEREMY: In the UK, the regulator Ofcom has proposed changes in radio-spectrum   
   that would make it Europes first country to implement the sharing of the same   
   frequencies between two different technologies. The proposal looks   
   specifically at the upper portion of the 6 GHz band, where priority usage   
   would be given in  one portion to Wi-Fi devices such a routers and another to   
   mobile devices, such as cell masts.   
      
   Ofcom said the move to this so-called prioritised spectrum would most directly   
   benefit businesses, households and the UK economy in general.  The change   
   would affect indoor and lower-power Wi-Fi, and any higher-power Wi-Fi under   
   the control of an Automated Frequency Control system as protection against   
   interference.   
      
   The regulator will be accepting comments on the proposal no later than 20   
   March.   
      
   This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   (OFCOM)   
      
   **   
   FCC SET TO OK NEW UNLICENSED DEVICE CATEGORY ON 6 GHz   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, in the US, the 6 GHz band is getting new users. They   
   are a new category of unlicensed devices, as we hear from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.   
      
   KENT: The Federal Communications Commission intends to approve unlicensed   
   operation on 6 GHz by a new category of devices known as "GVP" devices - which   
   stands for geofenced variable power. The devices are commonly used with   
   short-range hotspots, indoor navigation, automation and augmented or virtual   
   reality devices. A number of tech companies, such as Apple, Microsoft and   
   Qualcomm, have been advocating for the move.    
      
   The FCC will grant the devices a higher power than previously permitted for   
   other unlicensed devices, and require them to use geofencing systems so they   
   do not interfere with radio astronomers and fixed microwave links   
      
   The FCC's vote is set for the 29th of January.   
      
   This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.   
      
   (RADIOWORLD, ARS TECHNICA)   
      
   **   
   BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio   
   Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world. This week, we welcome   
   the Caribbean Amateur Radio News Network, which carries our newscast on   
   Thursdays at 1030 UTC on 7.139 MHz.   
      
   **   
   CALIFORNIA HAMS BROADEN WINTER FIELD DAY PARTICIPATION   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: While some amateur radio groups in North America are getting ready   
   for Winter Field Day  the cold-weather equivalent of the ARRLs annual   
   emergency preparedness event in the summer  one club in California is taking   
   the exercise a few steps further. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB has those details.   
      
   RALPH: The Tehachapi Amateur Radio Association, AC6EE, is calling the event   
   the inaugural Wintertide Disaster Outreach. This years exercise on January   
   24th is combining all the basics of this important amateur-radio  preparedness   
   drill with roles for the public safety and disaster response agencies that   
   they customarily work with during crises. That means the Salvation Army, local   
   search and rescue and representatives from the city of Tehachapi will be among   
   those on hand.   
      
   The groups Field Day coordinator Theresa Scott, W5ILP, and its public affairs   
   officer, Micah Martin, KN6VUT,  told the Tehachapi News that including the   
   community partners simply made sense this year since they are part of the   
   realtime response team with the hams when calamity strikes.   
      
   The group is also hoping that bringing this expanded public visibility to   
   Winter Field Day might also inspire more people, including spectators who come   
   to learn more, to pursue their amateur radio licenses.   
      
   Micah told the newspaper that the Winter Field Day Association, which supports   
   this exercise every January, was not aware of any other Winter Field Day   
   events that had planned such a wide-ranging involvement this year.   
      
   Its being done for a good purpose, according to Theresa, who told the   
   newspaper [quote]: We really want to encourage people to get on board with   
   thisIt can be a lifesaving tool. [endquote]   
      
   This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.   
      
   (TEHACHAPI NEWS)   
      
   **   
   APRS DIGIPEATER TO BE FEATURED AT HAMCATION   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: One of the many things visitors can look forward to at Hamcation   
   next month in Orlando, Florida, is using a digipeater dedicated to users of   
   APRS. Jack Parker W8ISH gives us the details.   
      
   JACK: If youre visiting the Hamcation fairgrounds between the 13th and 15th of   
   February and youre bringing along an APRS-enabled device, tune it to 147.585,   
   using a path of TEMP1-1. That will get you into the digipeater being set up by   
   the Daytona Beach Amateur Radio Association, enabling you to connect with   
   others at Hamcation, sending and receiving messages.   
      
   The Dayton group is sponsoring the digipeater activity and calling it APRS Day   
   Out, allowing radio operators to practice the kind of networking skills that   
   would come in handy during events like Hamcation - or during a crisis.   
      
   Once youre connected, your first message should, of course, be CQ, to let   
   everyone know youve arrived on the network.   
      
   See more details about APRS Day Out by following the link in the text version   
   of this weeks newscast at arnewsline.org   
      
   [DO NOT READ:   https://www.aprs.org/APRS-day-out.html  ]   
      
   This is Jack Parker W8ISH.   
      
   **   
   WORLD OF DX   
      
   In the World of DX, Ji, DS1TUW is operating holiday style as 8Q7JI  from the   
   Maldives, IOTA Number AS-013 from the 18th through to the 24th of January. He   
   will be using mostly FT8, with some CW and SSB. Listen for him on 80-10 metres.   
      
   Jacek, SP5APW, is on the air holiday style as CE7/SP5APW until the 18th of   
   January from Chiloe Island, IOTA Number SA-018. He will be on the air on the   
   23rd and 24th of January as CE8/SP5APW from Tierra del Fuego, IOTA Number   
   SA-008. Jacek will be using FT8 and SSB on 20-10 metres. He will also be on 6   
   metres using FT8.   
      
   SOTA chasers may want to listen for Brian, VK3BCM, who has FT8 activations   
   coming up in Chile and the Falklands. He will use the callsign CE/VK3BCM on   
   Cerro San Cristobel, SOTA summit CE3/SA-019, on the 25th of January. In the   
   Falklands, listen for the callsign VP8EBY on the Two Sisters Summit, SOTA   
   Number VP8/EF-013, the site of the 1982 war with Argentina. Check SOTAWatch   
   for the activation date, between 21st & 23rd of January. If possible, he will   
   add phone to these activations.   
       
   Listen for the special event callsign DA2Ø26SKI being used by a D A R C Team.   
   Operators are on the air from the 15th of January through to the 15th of   
   February. This event celebrates the FIS Ski-Flying World Championships to be   
   held in Oberstdorf.   
      
   See QRZ.com for QSL details of all stations.   
      
   (425 DX BULLETIN, SOTA REFLECTOR)   
      
   **   
   KICKER: STUDENTS IN RURAL INDIA WITNESS QSOS VIA ISS REPEATER   
      
   JIM/ANCHOR: Imagine more than 12,000 young people gathered, wide-eyed and   
   eager, awaiting an unprecedented superstar event. There was no movie headliner   
   or rock band on stage but - in the sky, the International Space Station where   
   an FM repeater was allowing a ham on the ground to make connections via   
   amateur radio. Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us about it.   
      
   JASON: The outdoor assembly of young people may well have been the largest of   
   its kind - more than 12,000 students on hand to watch ham radio contacts being   
   made via the International Space Station's repeater -- during a science and   
   space program in Gujarat, India.   
      
   The two-way contacts, arranged with support from AMSAT-India and the Indian   
   Space Research Organisation, was demonstrated by Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP,   
   AMSAT-India's regional coordinator. It happened in late December as the ISS   
   passed overhead. Using a portable satellite ground station, Rajesh began   
   calling CQ using the space station's crossband FM repeater. The first   
   successful contact - with VU2MZT in Maharashtra - was heard by the students as   
   the downlink audio was amplified through a PA system. The young crowd erupted   
   in applause. Two other contacts followed during the space station's brief   
   overhead pass.   
      
   Writing in one of the forums on QRZ.com, Rajesh noted the significance of the   
   moment, saying that many of the students were  hearing live signals being   
   transmitted via the space station for the first time in their lives. Rajesh,   
   who called the size of the outdoor ham radio demonstration unprecedented,   
   wrote: [quote] "The event stands as a testament to careful planning, technical   
   expertise, teamwork, and unwavering commitment." [endquote]   
      
   To watch the contacts being made, see the short YouTube clip on his channel.   
   The link appears in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org   
      
   [DO NOT READ: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSIoRCAPbJg&t=4s  ]   
      
   This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW   
      
   (YOUTUBE, QRZ.COM FORUMS)   
      
   **   
   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 ABC News; Amateur News Daily; Ars Technica; BBC; David Behar,   
   K7DB; DX News; 425DX Bulletin; Ofcom; QRZ.com Forums; RadioWorld; Reuters;   
   SOTA Reflector; shortwaveradio.de; Tehachapi News; Wireless Institute of   
   Australia'; Facebook; 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 Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West Virginia 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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