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USA/MoD: Start for new Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) on Palau / OTHRs already number one reported intruder
· HF, IARUMS, News · admin

Construction of a new shortwave radar for the US Air Force is currently beginning on the Pacific island of Palau. This was announced by the US Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the end of December 2022. OTHRs already top the list of reported intruders on our exclusive HF amateur radio bands.

The long-range radar, called Tactical Mobile Over-the-Horizon Radar (TACMOR), could play a special role in monitoring Chinese activities in the Pacific and the South China Sea. The client for the project is the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, and the work is to be completed by June 2026, as “The War Zone” reports. 

According to “The War Zone”, the Palau OTHR will consist of a remote-controlled transmitting site and a separate receiving site consisting of 128 dual-monopole antenna elements. Signal processing will then take place in real time already at the receiving site. The data will then be forwarded to the American and allied forces via an external operational control centre.

OTHRs already top the list of reported intruders on our exclusive amateur radio bands. This is evidenced by the extensive surveys conducted by the IARU Monitoring System (IARUMS). As can be seen from the latest Region 1 statistics, Over-the-Horizon Radars were again the most reported in November, followed by transmissions in various MIL modes. It is these types of transmissions that have the greatest interference potential in our HF amateur radio bands.

(Photo: US-Navy-AN/TPS – 71-Relocatable-Over-the-Horizon-Radar-station; source: USN, public domain)

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HAARP Asteroid Bounce Experiment
· HF, News · admin

As announced, the signals of the “HAARP Asteroid Bounce Experiment” from Gakona/Alaska could also be received in DL and other parts of Europe at 9600 kHz today (27.12.) around 11 am UTC. This is shown by some reports which reached the DARC HF department on Tuesday morning. Those interested can listen to the 30 kHz wide sweep signal as a short recording at t1p​.de/​o​r​cll

“Today’s experiment by means of the HAARP facility in Gakona/Alaska is only the first preliminary stage of an attempt to investigate the interior of asteroids by means of shortwave signals from Earth,” says Tom Kamp, DF5JL, HF officer of the DARC and IARU Region 1. However, only the next few days will show whether echoes of asteroid 2010 XC15 were received at all. Until then, numerous data from the HAARP facility as well as reception reports from radio amateurs and hobby radio astronomers will be evaluated.

After all, the diameter of asteroid 2010 XC15 is only about 150 meters.

It is also twice as far away from the Earth as the Moon. In addition, radio astronomy in the short-wave range is still in its infancy.

Although Karl Jansky, a US physicist, and radio engineer, was already able to assign signals around 20 MHz to a radio source outside our solar system in 1930. In 1932, Jansky was able to determine the direction more

precisely: The signals came from the constellation Sagittarius in the center of the Milky Way. A detailed article on this and on shortwave radio astronomy, in general, is planned for the February issue of CQDL, the monthly members’ magazine of DARC.

An exciting topic not only for professionals: “The ‘Radio JOVE’ project of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which observes so-called Jupiter bursts on 20.1 MHz, has proven to be particularly suitable for those interested in radio astronomy”, says Tom DF5JL. Due to their frequency and high signal strength, the signals are easy to receive even with modest means: “An eventful and usually worthwhile attempt to check one’s HF reception equipment as well as to get a taste of radio astronomy in general.”

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DL: Temporary permit for 160m further extended
· HF, VHF/UHF/SHF · admin

In the Official Gazette No. 24, 2022 (https://​www​.bnetza​-amtsblatt​.de/​2​0​22/) published on 21 December 2022, the national telecommunications authority “Bundesnetzagentur” (BNetzA) granted the request of the Amateur Radio Round Table (RTA) and extended all temporary permits for the amateur radio service whose validity would have expired on 31 December 2022. 

This means that German radio amateurs may continue to use the frequency ranges 1850 — 1890 kHz and 1890 — 2000 kHz with 750 W or 100 W on weekends. Contest operation is on weekends also permitted.


The following existing temporary permissions have also been extended:

  • Use of the frequency ranges 2320 — 2450 MHz and 5650 — 5850 MHz by Class E.
  • Use of the frequency range 50 — 52 MHz (750 W PEP Class A or 100 W PEP Class E between 50.0 — 50.4 MHz)
  • Temporary access 70.150 — 70.210 MHz for Class A.

This is reported by Bernd Mischlewski, DF2ZC, from the DARC Frequency Management Unit.

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4m band released in Switzerland as of 01.01.23
· HF, VHF/UHF/SHF · admin

As the Swiss Amateur Radio Association USKA reports, it was possible to obtain clearance for the 4m band after lengthy negotiations with the national telecommunications authority BAKOM. The authorisation is valid from 1 January 2023.


The following applies:

  • Only radio amateurs with HB9 licences are permitted to use the band.
  • Frequency range: 70.0000 to 70.0375 MHz and 70.1125 to 70.5000 MHz. In the range from 70.0375 to 70.1125 MHz any transmission is prohibited.
  • The maximum power is 25 watts ERP.
  • All common modulation types are permitted. Use in accordance with the IARU band plan is encouraged.
  • The band is to be used for direct links. Unmanned stations such as relays and Echolink gateways are not allowed.
  • Remotely controlled stations require notification to BAKOM.
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YOTA Contest | 3rd Session 2022 + New Dates 2023
· Events, HF, Youth General · Mario, EA1JAY

Press Release
by International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 – Youth Working Group

Erding, Germany — Tuesday, 20.12.2022

2022 is coming to an end already but we are still going strong within the currently ongoing December YOTA Month. Within this event, we will also hold the 3rd session of our well-known YOTA Contest on 30th December from 1200 – 2359 UTC. Thus, we are looking forward to seeing you all participating and working the worldwide youngsters on the bands.

Further, we are happy to announce that we will have three (3) more YOTA Contest sessions coming up in 2023 again. Lots of participants enjoyed the 2022 sessions already and thus we hope to get even more people involved into the events this year.

The upcoming three sessions will be taking place on the following days:

1st round 22nd April 2023 0800 – 1959 UTC

2nd round 22nd July 2023 1000 – 2159 UTC

3rd round 30th December 2023 1200 – 2359 UTC

So, are you ready to compete within the next YOTA Contest? Everyone in the ham radio community can take part, it takes place three times per year and only lasts 12 hours. Its aim is to increase the youngsters’ activity on the air, strengthening the reputation of the YOTA program and demonstrate the support for youngsters across the world.

We have implemented 8 different categories which also include special ones for youngsters (≤ 25 years old) only. Covering the 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m bands the competition will take place in CW and SSB modes.

The contest exchange used will be the age of the participating operators. Different ages also serve as multipliers during the contest.

Contacts between the own continent are worth 1 point, working DX is worth 3 points but the most points will be achieved by working youngsters. The younger the operator the more points one will get for the QSO.

During the past year we have received several rule translations into various languages. A big thank you to the contributors! So, if you are not that fluent in English, check them out here.

If you have any further questions after reading through the rules, please go to our FAQ page to see if your question has been answered already. If you still have a question, feel free to drop the YOTA Contest Committee an email at contest@​ham-​yota.​com and we are happy to reply.

On behalf of the YOTA Contest Committee,

–
Kind regards | 73

Philipp Springer, DK6SP

Chair
Youth Working Group
International Amateur Radio Union
Region 1

Download Area:

Press_Release_YOTA_Contest_20221220Download
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