Archive › October 2026 › Week 43
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
18 stories published this day (UTC).
Societies & IARU 8
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22nd IARU HST World Championship
22. IARU HST World Championship
The 22nd IARU HST World Championship, a high-speed telegraphy contest, took place in Sousse, Tunisia, with 68 competitors in 9 categories. Belarus won overall, and Austria's OE3VBU placed 7th in his age class. Rules now include 12 receive speeds and real-time analysis of each run.
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Calling All EmComm and WICEN Representatives: Have Your Say on the WIA's 5 MHz Emergency Communications Policy
The Wireless Institute of Australia is asking emergency communications and WICEN representatives to give input on its policy for using the 5 MHz band in emergency communications.
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Dortmund Amateur Radio Market in Kamen
Dortmunder Amateurfunkmarkt in Kamen
The 53rd Dortmund Amateur Radio Market takes place on 25 October at the Stadthalle in Kamen, Germany. A lecture programme covers EMC measurement, DARC news, mesh networking and emergency radio in the Ruhr area.
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New website for POTA.app
Ny website för POTA.app
POTA.app has launched a rebuilt website with support for more than 20 languages, improved mobile layout, simpler login and better maps. A digital POTA newsletter is also now available through Substack.
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November 2026 – Strategic priorities update
The RSGB outlines its strategic priorities, with virtual engagement as a key topic. The focus is on how online participation helps people discover the hobby, learn skills, reach expertise and stay connected.
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SAQ Grimeton to transmit again on UN Day, 24 October 2026
SAQ Grimeton zal op VN-dag 24 oktober 2026 weer uitzenden
The Grimeton radio station, callsign SAQ, is due to transmit again on United Nations Day, 24 October 2026. The station is a historic very-low-frequency transmitter that entered commercial service in 1924.
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FunkWX - Effects of a coronal hole
FunkWX - Folge eines koronalen Lochs
Fast solar wind from a coronal hole has pushed geomagnetic activity to unsettled-to-active levels (Kp 3-4), lowering the MUF for now. Activity should ease later in the day, with flare risk low.
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Ready to Help: ORARI Bukittinggi Agam-YH5AK CORE Team Trains in Fire Suppression with Fire Department
Siap Bantu Kemanusiaan: Tim CORE ORARI Lokal Bukittinggi Agam-YH5AK Latihan Jinakkan Api Bersama Damkar
The CORE emergency communications team of ORARI's Bukittinggi Agam local chapter trained with the city fire and rescue service on firefighting. The volunteers, part of Indonesia's national radio communications reserve, add fire suppression skills to their earlier CORE training levels.
DX & contests 6
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TO1O – St Martin
PT2FM operates as TO1O from Marigot, St Martin, during the CQWW SSB contest, entering the single-operator 20m high-power category. No activity is planned outside the contest, and QSL goes via LoTW.
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9N/S57MK – Nepal
Matjaz S57MK, previously active from Nepal as 9N7MK in 2022, returns from October 24 to November 11, 2026. He signs 9N/S57MK when time allows during a trek to the Kanchenjunga North Base Camp area and a stay in Kathmandu.
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PZ5KW – Suriname
Wian, PE1K plans holiday-style operation from Paramaribo, Suriname, as PZ5KW between November 23 and December 1, 2026. FT8 and SSB are likely, and QSL goes via his home callsign.
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TU5KOP – Ivory Coast
Members of the F6KOP radio club from Provins are in Ivory Coast to set up TU5KOP, a school amateur radio club at an institution for blind young people in Yopougon, after years of preparation.
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6W/I2YSB & 6W/IK2HKT Senegal
An Italian team of eight operators plans to be active from Senegal between October 28 and November 9, 2026, using up to five stations. Operation is as 6W/I2YSB on CW, SSB and RTTY, and as 6W/IK2HKT on FT8.
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News: Intrepid DX Group
Intrepid DX Group is ending its annual Youth Dream Rig essay contest after six years. Over that time the group awarded more than $20,000 worth of radios to young operators.
Community & news 4
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Is the ARRL finally feeling the heat?
KB6NU notes that the ARRL has hired a firm to survey lapsed members about why they did not renew. The questions cover dues, QST access, trust in the League and other reasons, and the blogger reads this as a sign of concern over falling membership.
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LHS Episode #635: Rust Everywhere
Episode 635 of the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast covers the hosts' recent news, amateur radio and open source topics, and some digging through old GitHub projects.
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Wire Wizard: Choosing the Best Wire for Ham Radio Antennas
A guide to picking wire for ham antennas, weighing installation method, permanent versus portable use, power level and mechanical stress. It begins with solid copper, suited to fixed dipoles, inverted-Vs and long wires.
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HOA Advocates Held Summit Opposing Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act
The Community Associations Institute, a lobbying group for US homeowners associations, lists opposition to H.R. 1094/S. 459 among its federal priorities. The bill would limit HOA powers to require prior approval of amateur radio antennas and other infrastructure.