Tour De France is a Tour De Callsigns

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Sure, the cyclists of this year's Tour de France are fast, but what's even faster than these elite athletes? HF signals are being sent by numerous clubs and groups wishing the competitors well as they pass through their region, starting on the 4th of July.

The route of this year's Tour de France cycling race passes through 37 towns and cities - 10 of them are new to this legendary race that has endured since 1903. Through it all, from the start in Barcelona to the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, cyclists will be making contact with local people who will watch and cheer them on.

Even if you're not near the route, you can still cheer them on by contacting any number of special-event stations organised by Réseau des Émetteurs Français. Whether the cyclists are crossing a hilly or a flat region, propagation is expected to enable contact with TM00TFR, TM40TFR, TM42TFR and similar stations in many of the regions. For details on these stations, their operating modes and diplomas available, visit the QRZ.com page for TM00TFR.

Amateur Radio Has The Power Of Awareness

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Amateur Radio Has The Power Of Awareness

World Giraffe Day is celebrated annually on 21st June 2026, the longest day of the year, in honor of the world’s tallest land animal. This special event station brings amateur radio operators together to raise awareness about giraffe conservation while combining our shared passion for radio communication and public outreach.

For this event, the group will be transmitting from the giraffe area near the Lehigh Valley Zoo, home to resident giraffes Tatu and Joshua. That makes this event especially meaningful, allowing the group to celebrate these incredible animals from a location directly connected to giraffe education and conservation.

Giraffes, despite their iconic status, face significant threats in the wild, including habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Conservation organisations worldwide use World Giraffe Day to highlight the silent extinction facing giraffe populations and encourage education and support for preservation efforts.

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Cat Pix on the Air - 2026

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The internet was made for sharing funny cat pictures and movies. On August 8th, International cat day, so will the radio waves! Ham radio amateurs will celebrate this day with a special SSTV event using cat pictures only.

Event runs from 00:00 UTC 08-08-2026 to 23:59 UTC 08-08-2026

All SSTV frames must contain feline-related imagery

All SSTV modes are acceptable

A valid QSO requires:

  • Exchange of both callsigns

  • Exchange of signal report and grid locator

  • Successful reception of an SSTV image meeting the event requirements

The submitted image must be an unmodified off-air capture received during the QSO of at least 320x240. The filename should be in format: "your callsign_receiver callsign" and be a .gif, .jpg or .png. This image must clearly* contain:

  • Both callsigns

  • The signal report received from the QSO partner

  • The grid locator of the QSO partner