The second Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) in advance of World Radio Communication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) this fall got under way on February 18 at International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Headquarters in Geneva. Delegates from around the world are attending.

This CPM will prepare a consolidated report that will support of the work of WRC-19, based on contributions from various adminis...

Antarctic Activity Week (AAW) 2019 is under way until February 24, with special call signs on the air. The goal of the event is to promote interest in Antarctica, where many countries have established research facilities.

Some of the call signs to listen for are: Australia, VK2ANT; Austria, OE16AAW, OE88WAP, OE89ANT, and OE90AAW; Belgium, OR16ANT; France, TM16AAW, TM16WAP, and TM1ANT; Italy, II2...

The group that’s been activating Macau as XX9D for the past week or so reports its biggest challenge is not so much managing the pileups but hearing the pileups in the first place due to high noise levels. Nonetheless, the group has managed some 18,000 contacts on 160 through 6 meters, and the operators credit FT8 with making many of those possible.

“All team members are a little bit disappoint...

The FCC is reminding electronic device retailers that Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) procedures are now in effect and being enforced. In an FCC Enforcement Advisory released February 15, the FCC Enforcement Bureau (EB) pointed out that marketers of RF devices may be subject to new compliance requirements provided in the SDoC procedures.

“In general, a device subject to SDoC is one t...

Authorities and major internet providers in Russia intend to disconnect the country from the internet as part of a planned experiment purportedly aimed at enhancing national security, the Russian news agency RosBiznesKonsalting (RBK) has reported. The stated reason for the experiment is to gather insights and provide feedback and modifications to a proposed law introduced in the Russian Parliam...

Listen to the new episode of ARRL Audio News on your iOS or Android podcast app, or online at http://www.blubrry.com/arrlaudionews/. Audio News is also retransmitted on a number of FM repeaters. Click here and then scroll down to see the list.

ARRL is accepting applications for the position of Radiosport and Field Services Manager at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. This is a full-time, exempt position with a competitive salary. The successful candidate would be responsible for managing the Radiosport and Field Services functions, including employee training, and program and services delivery to members and field voluntee...

Another week passed with no sunspots, and as of February 14 it has been over two weeks since any sunspots were observed, the last on January 30. February 7 through 13 saw average daily solar flux decline from 71.1 to 70.4, compared to the previous seven days. Geomagnetic indices were lower, with average daily planetary A index declining from 11.6 to 8.1, and average mid-latitude A index going f...

Erik Andersen, K9EU, of Naperville, Illinois, has assumed the role of manager for the Ninth District Incoming QSL Bureau. He is a long-time volunteer with the Bureau as well as a noted and accomplished DXer and contester. He succeeds John Meyers, K9QVB, who served as manager for 2 decades and will remain a sorter and letter dispatcher. The Ninth District Bureau handles more than 45,000 DX QSL c...

Andy Anderson, K7GEX, of Edmonds, Washington, died February 5 after a lengthy illness. An ARRL Life Member, he was 84. His friend Andy Neimers, VA7FJT, said Anderson was the “godfather” of the Latvian Amateur Radio League (LRAL) and a founding member of the Latvians Worldwide roundtable net.

“He sent literally tens of thousands of dollars of equipment to get the LRAL off the ground in the early ...

The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) is turning over Amateur Radio exam provision and call sign management to a new provider. WIA reports that telecommunications regulator ACMA has selected the University of Tasmania and Australian Maritime College (AMC) to take over as the preferred provider for the delivery of Amateur Radio examination, call sign management, and associated services. The ...

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is planning another popular slow-scan television (SSTV) event in the wake of an SSTV experiment last weekend, during which signals were reported to have been weak. Even so, more than 5,500 images were submitted. Transmissions are scheduled to begin on Friday, February 15, at 0845 UTC and run through Sunday, February 17, at 1725 UTC.

“The ...