Santa HF Net is Coming to Town

More than one thousand children are expected to have their moment on the air this year as the 3916 Nets kicks off its 17th year of the Santa Net. When this beloved holiday tradition began 17 years ago, only a handful of youngsters checked in with the assistance of licensed amateur radio operators. If you've been a very good ham this year, you can help a young person be a third-party operator and get that important contact on 3.916 MHz. The net begins on Friday 25th November at 7:15 p.m. Central Time, or 0115 UTC. Santa will be on the air every night on the same frequency and at that same time until Christmas Eve, 24th December 2022.

Just as Santa himself might say, this is a team effort. Organizer Pete Thomson, KE5GGY, said that radio operators who belong to the 3916 Network as relays to ensure everyone gets heard. This is, understandably, the favourite time of year on 3.916 MHz for these operators.

You can even check in before the net at cqsanta.com. Everyone is ho-ho-hoping for good propagation.

Filmmaker makes a Documentary - Documentary makes a Future Ham

The 30-minute documentary that made its TV premiere on Montana Public Broadcasting on Thanksgiving Day was a production by Grace Wolcott, a University of Montana student working with Media Arts students at the school. The film has a one-word title: "Ham." Grace tells it was inspired by a class assignment and, in part, by the small portable shortwave radio she listens to. It's the story of Montana's ham radio community and the reason for radio operators' devotion.

She called the documentary a learning experience with everyone willing to work outside their comfort zones. Grace was producer, director and assistant editor. The production also offered moments of radio magic. In one of her favourite moments, the crew was interviewing a ham in his shack when another ham could be heard on the air -- and then there was yet another. A QSO got under way and each learned that they'd all been interviewed for Grace's film.

“I felt in that moment, even if this documentary isn’t a masterpiece or nobody sees it, I am glad that, just like amateur radio, we are bringing people together.”

— Grace Walcott

So can you guess the ending? Grace, who aspires to be an independent filmmaker, now has another goal. She wants to become a ham. She's already studying with the help of Lance Collister, W7GJ, the amateur seen in the opening scenes of the film.

“Everyone I met in the community is patiently waiting for me to get my license and I will not let them down!”

— Grace Walcott

146/147MHz NoV Extension

Ofcom has agreed to the RSGB request to extend the 146/147MHz NoV for a further year. It is available on a non-interference basis and the NoV is subject to a 30-day notice period of change or withdrawal.

Full licence holders can apply for the 146/147MHz NoV via the RSGB website at https://rsgb.org/nov