Amateur Radio Daily

Software Fix Keeps Veritium HFClock Running

2026-09-03T00:00:00Z

Users of the Veritium HFClock now have a fix available to keep their HamClock based device functional. N2TBN and AI4Y have teamed up to provide detailed, step-by-step directions aimed at getting Veritium HFClocks working again. The procedure requires removing the rear panel and flashing the device's firmware.

Once the new firmware is applied, users will run through a few brief setup steps and HFClock will continue to operate.

HFClock owners can download PDF instructions that describe how to fix their device.

Source: AI4Y

Call Sign WB4MZ0 (Numeral Zero)

2026-09-01T00:00:00Z

By Rob Rosenberger (K4HST)

The FCC erroneously issued call sign "WB4MZ0" (numeral zero) on December 5, 1994 to the Wedixie Amateur Radio Club in Marietta, Georgia. Somebody typed it wrong into the FCC's database. The club's call sign trustee, David Budner WA4PUB, perhaps didn't notice it? The club never brought it up to the FCC.

Four-and-a-half years went by. The FCC's database continued to grow. And WB4MZ0 remained an active call sign!

In mid-1999, the FCC prepared to elevate its ULS database as the "system of record" for all call signs. That's when somebody (perhaps a database administrator?) discovered the error.

The FCC researched it and they discovered "WB4MZO" (letter) had not yet been assigned. On July 21, 1999 they canceled WB4MZ0 and issued WB4MZO to the club.

Twenty-six days later, on August 16, 1999, the FCC declared its ULS database the "system of record." Its underlying software now handles all call signs. No one manually types an amateur call sign.

If you download the ULS files, you'll see five relational database records for WB4MZ0. And you'll see nine relational database records for WB4MZO.

Wedixie Amateur Radio Club disbanded and canceled its call sign on February 22, 2024. The "O" (letter) call sign became available for vanity assignment on February 23, 2026. If you know any elmers in Marietta, ask them for more details about it!

Source: K4HST

Special Event Station CS5AIRA/M to Activate São Jacinto Military Area

2026-08-31T00:00:00Z

The following is a message from Association International Radio Amateur (AIRA):

AIRA - Special Activation, São Jacinto Military Area, Infantry Regiment No. 10. On September 12, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, AIRA will promote the activation of Infantry Regiment No. 10, located in Aveiro. We invite amateur radio operators and enthusiasts to participate in this special activity. The call sign will be CS5AIRA/M.

The activity will take place on the 20 and 40-meter bands, VHF, and UHF, including connections through the LART Lusophone Network, as well as on the DMR Digital Network via Talkgroup 268 and Talkgroup 91 on the BrandMeister platform. More information is available on the AIRA website.

AIRA - Activacao Especial, Area Militar de Sao Jacinto, Regimento de Infantaria Nº10. No dia 12 de Setembro de 2026, das 10h00 às 17h00, a AIRA promoverá a ativação do Regimento de Infantaria Nº10, localizado em Aveiro. Convidamos radioamadores e entusiastas a participarem nesta atividade especial. O indicativo será CS5AIRA/M.

A atividade ocorrerá nas bandas de 20 e 40 metros, VHF e UHF, incluindo ligações pela Rede Lusófona LART, bem como na Rede Digital DMR pelo Talkgroup 268 e Talkgroup 91 na plataforma BrandMeister. Mais informações no site da AIRA.

Source: AIRA

EN100NP on the Air to Honor 100th Anniversary of Symon Petlura

2026-08-30T00:00:00Z

The following is a message from UR5NBC:

Special event callsign EN100NP for the 100 Years memory Symon Petlura will be active till 31 December 2026 from Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

EN100NP is the special event callsign for the 100 Years memory Symon Petlura an outstanding Ukrainian statesman, politician and military figure, Chairman of the Directory of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) and Chief Ataman of the Army and Navy of the UNR. Callsign will be operating from the 8 June till 31 December 2026.

In order to receive the associated diploma, hams will need to gather 100 points worth of QSOs from various Ukrainian stations. More information is available on the UR4NWW website.

Source: UR5NBC

Zero Retries Digital Conference (ZRDC) 2026 to Bring Amateur Radio Technology and Innovation to San Ramon

2026-08-28T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from Zero Retries Digital Conference:

SAN RAMON, Calif. — The Zero Retries Digital Conference (ZRDC) 2026 will bring together amateur radio operators, technology enthusiasts, engineers, experimenters, and innovators on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Roundhouse Conference Center in San Ramon, California.

Now in its second year, ZRDC is dedicated to the technological side of amateur radio, with an emphasis on digital communications, experimentation, emerging technologies, and the innovative projects shaping the future of amateur radio. Topics are expected to include digital voice and data, software-defined radio, amateur radio networking, new modulation technologies, satellite communications, and other innovative applications.

The conference will feature presentations from individuals actively developing and experimenting with new technologies for amateur radio. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about current projects, exchange ideas, and connect with others interested in applying modern computing, networking, software, and communications technology to amateur radio. The conference will also provide an opportunity to look back at projects presented at the inaugural ZRDC in 2025 and report on their progress.

“Amateur radio has always been a place where people experiment with technology,” said Steve Stroh, N8GNJ, Editor of Zero Retries. “Today, radios are increasingly computers - with antennas - and the opportunities for innovation in amateur radio are greater than ever.”

Tina Stroh, KD7WSF, ZRDC Conference Manager, said, “Our goal is to bring together people who are excited about where amateur radio technology is going and provide a place where they can share what they are building, experimenting with, and learning.”

ZRDC 2026 will take place in San Ramon during the same weekend as Pacificon 2026, which will be held at the nearby San Ramon Marriott. ZRDC and Pacificon are independent events with separate registration. The proximity of the two conferences provides attendees with a unique opportunity to participate in both events during the same trip.

About Zero Retries Digital Conference

Registration:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/8zyqbad

Conference website:
https://www.zeroretries.org/p/conference

Zero Retries Newsletter:
https://www.zeroretries.org

Source: Zero Retries Digital Conference

DXChrono Desktop is Now Available

2026-08-26T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from DXChrono:

Built by Peter Goodhall, MM9SQL, in Elgin, Scotland, it puts grey line, solar indices, live DX Cluster and PSK Reporter spots, Reverse Beacon skimmers, Summits on the Air and Parks on the Air, logging, satellites, and contest context on one full-screen 3D globe or 2D map. Special Event Station mode turns the same screen into a visitor display for club open days and field days, with event branding and a scrolling last-worked banner. Feeds can be Cloudlog or N1MM Logger+.

It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi 4/5. A one-time purchase of £15.00 including VAT covers a licence for up to five computers. The free web app at https://dxchrono.com/ stays free.

Buy and downloads: https://desktop.dxchrono.com/ Documentation: https://docs.desktop.dxchrono.com/

Full press PDF

Source: DXChrono

HFPilot App Estimates HF Propagation

2026-08-25T00:00:00Z

The following is a message from HFPilot:

HFPilot is your go to app for estimating HF propagation - navigate the HF skies with confidence with an app that works offline, giving estimated frequencies and times for points around the world!

The goal of HF Pilot is to do for shortwave/HF radio what RepeaterSTART revolutionized for repeaters: Get propagation data, EVEN OFFLINE, install on your computer and know what hour to tune your radio, and connect with operators around the world.

The program is available from https://hearham.com/HFPilot. It is completely free and open source for Linux and Windows desktop, and there is also an minimal iOS and Android version available for $1.99.

Source: HFPilot

HAARP Notice of Transmission August 25-27

2026-08-25T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks:

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be conducting a research campaign August 25-27 UTC, with operating times specified in the table below. Operating frequencies will vary, but all HAARP transmissions will be between 2.8 MHz and 10 MHz. Actual transmit days and times are highly variable based on real-time ionospheric and/or geomagnetic conditions. All information is subject to change.

Note that due to the number of experiments and the need to make real-time schedule adjustments based on ionospheric conditions, no frequencies are specified in the table below. The included transmission notice supplement contains information on the frequencies HAARP is authorized to transmit. HAARP transmissions will only occur on our authorized frequencies. There are no specific data collection requests from funded investigators, but reception reports are appreciated and may be submitted to our online form at https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/form/reception-reports.

Transmission Schedule

August 25
0000-0200 UTC
0630-1000 UTC

August 26
2000-2400 UTC

August 27
0000-0400 UTC

For updates on ionospheric conditions in Gakona, please consult ionograms from the HAARP Diagnostic Suite: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite

Additional Resources for Reading Ionograms

Understanding HF Propagation and Reading Ionograms from Bootstrap Workbench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFKNCo3Cl8

Reading Your Ionogram–Keeping It Simple from John (VE6EY):
https://play.fallows.ca/wp/radio/shortwave-radio/reading-your-ionogram-keeping-it-simple/

Source: HAARP

Quick Recap: Huntsville Hamfest 2026

2026-08-24T00:00:00Z

I drove down to Huntsville on Saturday and spent a few hours at the Huntsville Hamfest. This is a quick recap featuring photos and commentary from a series of Mastodon posts. You will need to have Javascript enabled to see the content of this post. If you're reading this through RSS, you'll probably need to click through to the web version. —K4HCK

Post by @K4HCK@mastodon.radio

View on Mastodon

Source: Amateur Radio Daily

RepeaterLive: a repeater directory that knows what's actually on the air

2026-08-22T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from RepeaterLive:

A ham recently re-checked the 100 repeaters programmed in his HT. Forty were dead — and his list was only four years old. Every operator knows the problem: repeater directories go stale, and you find out on a summit, calling into static.

RepeaterLive (repeaterlive.com), a new live repeater map built by Daniel Régis, VE2DRG, of Québec, attacks the problem by letting the data age honestly. Operators confirm machines from the field with one-tap check-ins and optional 1–5 signal reports. Every listing shows who last heard it and when, reception dots show where each repeater is actually being heard, and a 90-day cycle automatically flags anything nobody can confirm — no listing sits "verified" forever.

The map currently covers 9,500+ repeaters across the US, Canada, the UK, France, and South Korea, with regional offline packs and free CHIRP export — one repeater or a whole area, straight into any radio. Access to the data is free and will stay that way.

The project is also working directly with frequency coordination bodies: this week, Oregon became the first state fully aligned to its coordination council's published records, with 238 repeaters added and 52 corrected against ORRC data.

For clubs, a dedicated tier offers CSV bulk import of an entire fleet, up to five shared administrators, an activity dashboard with silence alerts, and a club-verified badge.

"Directories rot — that's not a criticism of anyone, it's physics," says Régis. "The only data source that stays current is the operators using the machines every day. RepeaterLive just gives them a one-tap way to be heard."

Feedback and corrections: every repeater card has a "suggest a correction" link, and the builder answers every email.

Source: RepeaterLive

Helioclock to Debut at Huntsville Hamfest

2026-08-19T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from Helioclock:

Helioclock to Debut at Huntsville Hamfest: A New All-in-One Next Generation Situational Awareness Display with live SDR

Reno, NV. August 17, 2026.

Helioclock, a new dedicated live dashboard appliance built for amateur radio operators, EOC’s NOC’s Civil Defense and others will make its public debut at the ARRL National convention/Huntsville Hamfest, August 22–23, 2026.

The product brings live HF band conditions, space weather, contest information, and a wide range of real-time situational data feeds together on a single always-on screen: no juggling browser tabs, no subscription required. Fully automated operation 24/7/365 designed explicitly to have no single point of failure risk.

Further, Helioclock now features a real-time integrated SDR (Software Defined Radio) interface that serves as a standalone all-band receiver, plus offers NCDXF beacon monitoring for real-time band conditions.

New: Live RTL-SDR Integration

Helioclock’s newest release adds full support for the popular RTL-SDR USB dongle, turning any Helioclock display into a live, all-band software-defined radio receiver right alongside its propagation and space weather data. Operators get an on-screen waterfall, frequency tuning, and demodulation controls (AM, FM, SSB, and more) with no separate SDR software, no second screen, and nothing extra to buy.

See It in Huntsville

Helioclock will be shown live at the Huntsville Hamfest, August 22–23, 2026, at booth #V55. Attendees can see Best Band Now running against live band conditions in real time and talk with the developer that built it. Ready-to-run systems, bootable SD cards for Raspberry Pi 4/5 platforms, and Live USB devices will be available for purchase at the show.

A Stunning Shack Display Built Around Real Time Data, Not Guesswork

The centerpiece is Helioclock's signature “Best Band Now” feature. Rather than reducing complex propagation data down to a single “best guess,” Helioclock now presents every open or marginal HF band on a live, continuously ranked leaderboard, similar to a golf leaderboard, so operators can see exactly how each band stacks up and why.

Each band's score is intelligently analyzed from real DX cluster and Reverse Beacon Network spot activity, and if equipped with an SDR USB RTL-SDR dongle, real time beacon DX measurements. All are weighted by frequency and available headroom below the Maximum Usable Frequency, so a band with genuinely strong evidence can never be quietly outranked by a band with only a handful of spots. A band must hold the #1 ranking continuously for 20 minutes before it's marked CONFIRMED; until then it displays LEADING with a live countdown, so operators can watch a band call developing in real time rather than reacting to a single flip.

Plus, a per-band “Band Scope” graph shows the last 60 minutes of activity for every band at a glance, and every column on the leaderboard with plain-language explaining exactly what it means and how it's calculated. Full transparency, nothing hidden behind a black-box verdict.

More Than DX and Propagation

Beyond Best Band Now, Helioclock's next generation screen brings together:

Stunning photorealistic maps of the world and CONUS that change with seasons.
Live contest calendar and DX information. Grey line, solar flux, and imagery.
Wildfire, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, air quality, live camera site feeds, news and weather bulletin feeds. Configurable with local alerts too.
Live NEXRAD Radar, Satellite imagery, forecasts, data tracks, and more.
Financial markets (major indices, favorite stocks, plus gold and silver).
Tides for coastal stations, sea surface temperature, and hurricane/tropical storm tracking.
Over 40 active live features can be arranged on-screen and displayed on a multiple screen slideshow so you never miss a beat. See the features at helioclock.com.
PTT/ON-AIR banner, code practice, electronic references, even TV test patterns for SSTV!
Supports optional Software Defined Radio (SDR) using the popular RTL-SDR USB devices for automated band testing or use as your own listening receiver with on-screen control.
All of it updates continuously in the background, giving operators one glanceable display for “what's happening right now” on the bands and around them. Helioclock can drive multiple big screen TV’s at 4K or 2K directly while at the same time supporting remote browser connections.

Flexible, Low-Cost Hardware

Helioclock is designed to run on whatever hardware a ham shack already has or wants to add cheaply:

A dedicated small-form-factor x86 mini PC (Intel N100 at 4GB class hardware or better)
Raspberry Pi model 4 and 5 (2GB minimum, 4GB recommended.)
A bootable Live USB stick that turns most existing spare PC’s/laptops built in the last decade into a Helioclock display without touching its installed OS.
Ready to run appliances are also available.

Helioclock was built because every operator I know has five browser tabs open just to answer one question: what band should I be on right now? This puts the real evidence in front of you instead of a black-box guess.” “Plus, I wanted a modern, polished, real-time display that gives a solid next generation modern look and feel that runs completely unattended. — Anthony Watts, KA9NWM, creator, Helioclock

Availability

More information, screenshots, features, and a live interactive demo are available at helioclock.com.

Media Contact:
Anthony Watts, KA9NWM contact@helioclock.com 530-570-8434

Source: Helioclock

9/11 'We Do Remember' Special Event Returns for 6th Year

2026-08-17T00:00:00Z

The following is a message from the Alabama Contest Group:

K4A will once again keep K4 America the 9/11 We do Remember on air special event. The Alabama Contest Group is doing this for the 6th year.

I know most of us remember it like it was yesterday… but it has been 25 years since the towers fell, the Pentagon was damaged, and heroes brought the plane down in PA to prevent further attacks.

From September 9th through 13th, volunteer operators will take shifts to contact amateurs on the air. We want to hear your memories of that tragic day. And if you want to remember someone lost on that day, we’d be honored to help with that tribute naming them and having a pause on the air. 9/11 and the victims will not be forgotten.

A special QSL will be issued. Stories, memories, and victims mentioned on the radio will be collected and included in the Alabama Contest Group and the Smoke Signals newsletter.

For information about the special event, contact Bob (WA1FCN) wa1fcn@charter.net.

Would YOU like to be one of "The K4A 9/11 Crew" as an operator? A simple e-mail to wa1fcn@charter.net will get you going.

Source: Alabama Contest Group

AMSAT Canada Begins Offering Membership Options

2026-08-16T00:00:00Z

AMSAT Canada (AMSAT-CA) has begun offering membership options to further its mission to support amateur radio in space. Those interested in supporting AMSAT-CA through membership can learn more about membership benefits (PDF).

AMSAT-CA promotes, develops, and supports Amateur Radio in space, including via human-made and natural satellites (e.g., the Moon), space stations and planets, and related experiments, as well as new developments in technology, methods and techniques.

AMSAT-CA is expected to play a significant role in the futureGEO geostationary satellite project potentially covering portions of North America.

Source: AMSAT-CA

CHOTA 2026: Churches and Chapels on the Air

2026-08-14T00:00:00Z

Churches and Chapels on the Air (CHOTA) will be active on Saturday September 12th. CHOTA was first established in 2013 and encourages fellowship among both activators and chasers.

A list of participating stations (XLSX) is available on the CHOTA 2026 website. CHOTA is managed by The World Association of Christian Amateurs and Listeners (WACRAL).

Source: K4FMH

Ham Fair 2026 Updates: Kenwood and Uniden to Showcase New Radios

2026-08-12T00:00:00Z

hamlife.jp reports that both Kenwood and Uniden have announced significant anniversary milestones to be celebrated at Ham Fair 2026 in Japan. Both companies are teasing new radio equipment intended to be showcased at the event on August 29th.

Kenwood will celebrate 80 years in production with a special musical event at their booth. The recently announced TM-D750S and TM-D750 will also be on full display and available for attendees to interact with.

Uniden is celebrating 60 years in production and is teasing what appears to be a new handheld transceiver to be revealed at Ham Fair. Details are thin, including whether or not this radio will be marketed outside of the Japanese market. Uniden will also showcase wide-band receiving equipment targeted to users in Japan.

Source: hamlife.jp

15th Annual NJQRP Skeeter Hunt to Take Place This Weekend

2026-08-11T00:00:00Z

The 15th annual NJQRP Skeeter Hunt will take place this Sunday on August 16th. The objective of the event is to encourage QRP hams to get out of the shack and operate outdoors. Operators may use CW or SSB. There are a number of rules and bonus points which are explained here.

A private Facebook group is available for those that are interested.

Source: VE3FI

HamSCI to Host Meteor Scatter QSO Party

2026-08-10T00:00:00Z

HamSCI will host a Meteor Scatter QSO Party August 12-14. Hams are invited to participate on 6 and 10 meters using the MSK144 digital mode. HamSCI has a how to guide for hams new to working meteor scatter.

Listen, make QSOs, collect and then upload WAV files of your decodes, contribute to meteor science as we strive to uncover the secrets of meteor scatter (MS) propagation.

Rules and operating guides are also available.

Source: HamSCI

HAARP to Conduct Research Campaign Supporting PARS Summer School

2026-08-09T00:00:00Z

The following is a press release from the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks:

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be conducting a research campaign August 12–14 UTC, with operating times specified in the table below. Operating frequencies will vary, but all HAARP transmissions will be between 2.8 MHz and 10 MHz. Actual transmit days and times are highly variable based on real-time ionospheric and/or geomagnetic conditions. All information is subject to change.

This campaign is being conducted in support of research proposals from the Polar Aeronomy and Radio Science (PARS) Summer School. PARS is primarily funded by the Subauroral Geophysical Observatory award (#2054361) from the National Science Foundation, and brings students from across the nation to HAARP to conduct research. This year, 21 unique experiments will take place. Scientific goals of these experiments range from studies on the effects of ionospheric conditions on GPS satellite signals to generation and propagation of extremely low frequency/very low frequency (ELF/VLF) waves. More information on PARS can be found at https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/pars2026

August 12
0000-0515 UTC

August 13
0115-0630 UTC
2200-2400 UTC

August 14
0000-0315 UTC

For updates on ionospheric conditions in Gakona, please consult ionograms from the HAARP Diagnostic Suite: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite

Additional Resources for Reading Ionograms

Understanding HF Propagation and Reading Ionograms from Bootstrap Workbench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFKNCo3Cl8

Reading Your Ionogram–Keeping It Simple from John (VE6EY):
https://play.fallows.ca/wp/radio/shortwave-radio/reading-your-ionogram-keeping-it-simple/

General Information for HAARP Radio Enthusiasts

The HAARP Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI) transmits in the frequency range 2.750 to 9.600 MHz, with certain frequencies blocked out as specified in the FCC license for call sign WI2XFX. The frequency authorization chart below shows the HAARP transmission frequencies.
The emission bandwidth may be up to 46 kHz; the actual value depends on the frequency, modulation and experiment requirements.
The lower frequency transmissions many times are based on a harmonic of the local ionosphere's gyro frequency; the actual frequency depends on the experiment. The fundamental gyro frequency above HAARP varies from roughly 1.5 MHz at lower altitudes to 1.2 MHz at higher altitudes. The 2nd or 3rd harmonic is often used to heat the ionosphere in conjunction with another frequency to produce low frequency effects.
The mid-range frequencies often are used for artificial airglow experiments but, again, the frequencies used will depend on the experiment as well as time of day, season, solar activity and sunspot cycle.
The higher frequency transmissions many times are based on the critical plasma frequency for the F2 region (foF2) as measured by the Gakona ionosonde (https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite). The transmission frequencies may be above, below or at the critical frequency depending on the experiment. The critical plasma frequency in the vicinity of HAARP varies widely depending on, among other things, time of day, season, solar activity and sunspot cycle.
One or two carriers are transmitted and one or both of the carriers may be modulated. The types of modulation vary with the experiment requirements. Modulation may be AM, FM, or Pulse, including Linear FM (LFM) or a complex waveform or a time sequence of different modulations. LFM is very common. Communications modulations and protocols such as SSB, PSK, FSK, and QAM are never used. A glossary and brief description of the modulation modes is provided at the end of the original document.
Frequencies and timing are precise to allow synchronization with diagnostics. Both are controlled by locking them to the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Most experiments depend on ionospheric and geomagnetic conditions that are mostly unpredictable. The transmission frequencies for a given experiment may change to track changes in those conditions with little or no notice.
A scheduled experiment that depends on certain ionospheric or geomagnetic conditions may be rescheduled or cancelled if the required conditions do not occur.
Additional information can be found on the HAARP webpage at: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/

Monitoring HAARP IRI Transmissions with a Software Defined Radio Receiver

Listeners with an SDR receiver capable of 8 MHz bandwidth can monitor the entire frequency band noted above. A center frequency of 6.35 MHz may be used with 8 MHz bandwidth.
The HAARP IRI uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for all operations. Transmissions most often are programmed to Start at the top of the minute, i.e., HH:MM:00, but some start at 30 seconds, i.e., HH:MM:30. Transmissions usually Stop on the 30-second mark, i.e., HH:MM:30, to allow time to retune the transmitter/antenna for the next experiment. There may be exceptions to the Start and Stop times.
The SDR software should be run on a PC whose real-time clock is synchronized to UTC using the Network Time Protocol (NTP).
When a carrier is seen to pop up on the SDR's displayed spectra, listeners can identify the center frequency using the SDR software and then reduce the bandwidth to further analyze the signal.
If two SDRs are available, one can be used in a wideband mode to locate the signals and the other can be used in a narrowband mode to analyze specific signals after they are identified.
A useful method for locating IRI transmissions that are on or near the ionosphere's critical frequency f0F2 is to view the latest Gakona Ionogram (Ionosonde tab at https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite). Find the current f0F2, which is labeled in the upper-left corner of the Ionogram, and then tune the SDR to that frequency with a moderate displayed frequency span.
SDRs with a 50 kHz bandwidth setting are able to monitor the modulated carrier after it is located. However, the center frequency may be stepped through a range of frequencies or may change according to experiment requirements to another, far-removed frequency. Carrier frequency changes > 200 kHz require at least 30 seconds for retuning.
Not all experiments use a modulated carrier or the full emission bandwidth; some use only a pure carrier.
Some experiments require a transmitter On – transmitter Off cycle. The cycle times and On-Off ratios vary from experiment to experiment but Off times typically are minutes or fractions of a minute. Transmission On times can last from a couple of minutes to a few hours.
Radio propagation conditions and the IRI beam direction will affect the reception of the IRI transmissions or cause a fadeout at the receiving antenna location. Propagation conditions and beam directions can change significantly and rapidly during an experiment.
Some experiments require the IRI beam to be pointed along or near the local magnetic zenith. This means the beam is pointed parallel or nearly parallel to the local magnetic field lines. The magnetic zenith at the HAARP facility is approximately 76° elevation and 16° west of south.
Although the HAARP IRI transmits only in the HF range, the transmissions can, and some experiments are designed to, generate ELF, SLF, ULF, and VLF emissions in the D- and E-regions of the ionosphere. Other experiments may not be designed to generate these low frequency emissions but the emissions are generated as a side effect. Modulated heating of the D- and E-region electrons by the HF transmissions in turn modulates the plasma conductivity, which generates a virtual antenna at altitudes between 70 and 85 km. Emissions up to 20 kHz have been demonstrated but most are below a few kilohertz. These low frequency emissions can propagate in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide or by other mechanisms, depending on frequency, and conceivably can travel great distances.

Source: HAARP

IP400 Project Enters Third Phase

2026-08-08T00:00:00Z

ADRCS has posted an extensive update to their ongoing IP400 project. The updates, currently in beta testing, aim to bring mesh networking to any off the shelf radio. A new OFDM data mode will push data rates up to 57 kbit/s.

The firmware, now known as the Unified Firmware Platform (UFP), adds Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), a modern-day technique that is used in cellular telephony, cable modems and digital subscriber lines. Although in those applications is uses direct on-air modulation, for amateur use it was implemented to operate within the bounds of the audio range of FM transceivers, therefore designated as OFDM-AB. By selecting a bandwidth that is matched to the radio capabilities, coupled with various data constellations, rates from as low as 2600bits/second up to as fast as 57000 bits/second have been realized.

For a deep dive into these developments, see the most recent issue of Zero Retries. Steve Stroh (N8GNJ) provides a detailed introduction to the entirety of the IP400 Project.

Source: ADRCS

SSTV Special Event from QMR-KWT-2 Satellite

2026-07-29T00:00:00Z

The Kuwaiti satellite QMR-KWT-2 will transmit special SSTV images celebrating the 5 year launch anniversary of the QMR-KWT-1 satellite.

QMR-KWT 2 builds on the achievements of QMR-KWT 1, which was launched in 2021 as Kuwait’s first education-oriented CubeSat mission. That earlier project provided students with hands-on exposure to satellite development and operations, laying the groundwork for the expanded capabilities of the second mission. ⁠—SatellitePro Me

Look for images to be transmitted between 6:30 UTC August 1st and 19:30 UTC August 2nd. The download frequency will be 436.950 MHz.

Source: AMSAT Francophone