Issue 438 September 12, 2026

Top links

APRS Connect
A new APRS client for Android, built around conversations rather than a packet console.
APRS Connect

The next version of the M17 specification
The proposed V3 meets the goals set out for it, but are there any downsides?
M17 Project

AST SpaceMobile's 800 MHz trial wraps up — But the 70cm interference story isn't going away
Monitoring data from the SATNOGS network has reportedly shown AST operating with interference to the 70cm Amateur allocation.
ICQ Podcast

FCC regulations and MeshCore 500
We, along with many in the Meshtastic community, recently found out that most of Meshtastic’s presets are not in compliance with the FCC.
Philly Mesh

Which downlink? An open trade study of candidate bands for futureGEO
If the host cannot offer 3 cm, 6 cm (5830–5850 MHz) is the strongest fallback on physics.
Open Research Institute

A Lewis & Clark POTA journey
The main idea is to do a road trip, starting in St Louis, near the Gateway Arch and follow 3,700 miles of river, prairie, mountain, and forest to the Pacific Ocean.
K0NR

PARC: Protected Area Radio Community
PARC Community® is the new Amateur Radio park activation program. Simple, accessible, and open to all Radio Amateurs worldwide.
PARC

Improving the “Titanic” 40m field expedient backpack portable antenna
The revised “Titanic” antenna’s sloping top hat wires are supported on trekking poles, although raising the ends higher does improve the SWR.
Ham Radio Outside the Box

A few things that have made my POTA spots easier and better
I’ve done a lot of experimenting and I finally landed on a set-up that works for me.
Andrew Woodward

Putting my AllStar node on 44Net
Here is how that went, including the parts that did not go well.
EtherHam

Video

The Ham Widows Ball started with $100—and you’re not invited
There’s a side of the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) that has nothing to do with radios, antennas, multipliers, or scores—and Bill Vinci believes it can make ham radio stronger.
Q5

Ham kit building is booming
Stu, Tom, and Quin present the current Ham Radio rig kit companies and products.
Ham Radio Perspectives

Chasing birds: The addictive world of Amateur Radio satellites
An introduction to the world of Amateur Radio satellite working.
Online Amateur Radio Community