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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Hams Needed to Track NASA Moon Mission

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Hams Needed to Track NASA Moon Mission

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking volunteers to passively track the 2026 Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth.

The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover, KI5BKC; and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.

Targeted for no later than April 2026, the mission will rely on NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for primary communications and tracking support throughout its launch, orbit, and reentry. However, with a growing focus on commercialisation, NASA wants to further understand industry’s tracking capabilities.

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