Amateur Radio Preps to Defend Antenna Legislation

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Amateur Radio Preps to Defend Antenna Legislation

Hams are raising their voices in this latest - and perhaps largest - effort to date to get a law passed in Washington, D.C. to exempt their antennas from restrictions imposed by homeowner associations and restrictive covenants. There is a lot at stake as lawmakers consider, once again, the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act.

Momentum has been gathering among amateur radio clubs, advocates and influencers to muster vocal support for two measures that would remove restrictions placed on ham radio antennas by a growing number of homeowner associations around the US. At the helm of the grassroots campaign is the ARRL, the national amateur radio association, which formally kicked off the nationwide push on the 17th of September to bolster the chances of passage - at long last - this year.

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FCC Legalizes Jamming Of Mobile Phones By Prisons

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Jamming is illegal in the US unless, of course, you operate a prison.  In a move applauded by a number of lawmakers, the Federal Communications Commission has given prisons and other correctional facilities the authorisation to use cell phone jamming technology to disable devices smuggled into inmates. Federal law prohibits the sale and operation of equipment that interferes with the operation of authorised radio communications, including GPS and cellular phones. 

According to the FCC, the September 30th vote was taken to halt what authorities say are criminal activities, such as drug dealing or killings, being conducted by persons who are incarcerated.

The FCC said that its action would coordinate efforts between corrections officials and wireless carriers and is not designed to interfere with wireless services of cellular customers in the vicinity of the prisons.

The move drew praise from a number of lawmakers, such as David Kustoff, a Republican congressman who in March had introduced the Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act of 2025.

A Big Dxpedition Win For African Teen

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A Big Dxpedition Win For African Teen

Members of the VU4 Andaman Island DXpedition are still awaiting news of their callsign from the Indian regulator, but the wait is at least over for their addition of a new team member. The next generation of DXpeditioner is from a country with very few hams at all!  A 17-year-old radio amateur from rural Malawi has joined the DXpedition team that is headed to Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal in October 2026. Although Malawi has callsigns designated by the IARU, the country does not have a formal amateur radio programme, so he first had to test and qualify for a foreign callsign (the US) before he could get his Malawi call. Urgent Jere (pron: Urgent Jerry), 7Q6UJ, is not just along for the ride on this trip. Barely a year after passing his US Technician exam, he has already confirmed 168 DXCC countries as a chaser. Soon, he will be on the other end of that envious pileup. He is studying to upgrade his license and sharpening his proficiency in CW.

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