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Category: IARUMS

HB9CET SK
· IARUMS, News · Mats, SM6EAN

It is with deep regret that we bid farewell to our long-time friend and colleague, Peter Jost, HB9CET, who passed away on 3 January 2025 at the age of 82.

Peter was a towering figure in the world of amateur radio. His many years of service as IARU Coordinator of the Monitoring System (IARUMS) for Region 1, during which he made a decisive contribution to the protection of the amateur radio service worldwide with tireless dedication and expertise, deserve special mention. In his role, he made a significant contribution to ensuring the use of the radio spectrum. In particular, he maintained a close and friendly relationship with the DARC Bandguard and HF Division. He maintained a lively dialogue with many radio enthusiasts and was always keen to promote and preserve amateur radio as a valuable hobby.

Peter also worked as a technical advisor on various projects. His meticulous approach and willingness to share his knowledge made him a trusted partner and friend in many areas. Peter was instrumental in bringing the IARUMS international recognition for its high quality work. For his outstanding work, he will be honoured with the IARU Region 1 Medal in the summer of 2021.

Peter was a person of high integrity, and his technical understanding coupled with his humble, helpful nature made him a role model for many of us. His legacy will live on in the hearts of his friends and amateur radio colleagues.

Peter will be greatly missed as a dedicated professional, loyal friend and sincere radio amateur. Our sympathies go out to his family and all those who had the good fortune to work with him.

73, Tom Kamp, DF5JL
Former chair of IARU-R1 HF Committee
and current HF Officer of the DARC

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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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Is India building its own over-the-horizon radar (OTHR)?
· HF, IARUMS · admin

According to a report by Alpha Defense India, the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s premier radar development laboratory is working on an “over-the-horizon” OTH radar system to keep a close eye on Chinese movements in the Indian Ocean region. The system design has already been completed, according to the report. The next step is the realisation of a prototype.

The radar prototype is to have two different types of radar arrays — a log-periodic wire antenna array and a broadband monopole antenna array. It is believed that the log-periodic antenna array will be used to determine the best frequency (MUF), which is known to depend on current conditions in the ionosphere and the sunspot cycle. The monopole antenna array is to consist of an array of 32 elements. The actual system is to be developed later after extensive testing and evaluation.

This over-the-horizon radar system will then be used to monitor and track ship movements over a large area, giving the Indian armed forces the ability to look over the horizon over a large distance, so the report.

OTHR often massively interfere with amateur radio, so as the wellknown Russian Contayner OTHR, the British radar from UK base Cyprus, from the Iran or from China. They are present daily on several frequencies within the exclusive amateur radio HF bands.

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IARUMS: New Coordinator and Vice-Coordinator
· HF, IARUMS · admin

The new IARUMS Region 1 Coordinator, Gaspar Miró, EA6AMM, appoints Peter Jost, HB9CET, as IARUMS R1 Vice-Coordinator, after receiving his agreement.

Both have been working together in IARUMS for more than a year, an excellent collaboration, as Gaspar emphasizes. He values Peter’s vast knowledge and years of experience with intruder signals on the amateur radio bands — and with the IARUMS. “It is my pleasure to continue to work with him,” says Gaspar.

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