100 MHz to 6 GHz Transceiver Project for $300

Michael Ossmann's latest project is an Open Source transceiver covering 100 MHz to 6 GHz.

It is presumed the RF output from the transceiver may only be a few milliwatts.

More information from - http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/10/19/darpa-funded-radio-hackrf-aims-to-be-a-300-wireless-swiss-army-knife-for-hackers/

Further info - http://greatscottgadgets.com/hackrf/

Surprisingly this proposed Open Source transceiver does not use an FPGA and has a low resolution, however, it points to a future of flexible software defined transceivers at a low price point.

The National Instruments company Ettus Research, founded by a radio amateur Matt Ettus N2MJI, produces the popular USRP™ family of SDR products which are aimed at the high performance segment of the market. Further information - http://www.ettus.com/

PRISM available for Amateur Radio AX.25 Packet

The team that developed the PRISM satellite have announced it is being opened up for use by radio amateurs during afternoon passes.

The satellite was built by the University of Tokyo and launched on January 23, 2009 into a 660 by 670 km orbit. It uses AX.25 packet radio and can now be used by amateur radio operators as a store-and-forward message box.

Full details - http://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/prism/en/HAMservice.html

PRISM  - http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=119

Ofcom - ECC Decision on AM SSB CB apparatus

ECC published (June 2011) a Decision harmonizing CB radio across the European Union but until now Ofcom have dragged their heels in implementing it.

It appears that Ofcom intend to drag out implementation further but their statement says the ECC Decision should probably be implemented by the end of 2013.

In the late 1970's radio amateurs such as James Bryant G4CLF, President (UK) Citizens' Band Association, campaigned for the legalisation of AM/SSB CB now some 35 years later it looks as though it will finally be achieved.

Ofcom statement - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/spectrum-management/licence-exempt-radio-use/citizens-band-radio/notices/ecc-decision/

ECC Decision ECC/DEC/(11)03 - The harmonised use of frequencies for Citizens’ Band (CB) radio equipment -http://www.erodocdb.dk/Docs/doc98/official/pdf/ECCDEC1103.PDF

European Union gets 27 MHz SSB CB - http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2011/eu_gets_27mhz_ssb.htm

James Bryant G4CLF in New Scientist magazine March 2, 1978 - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ip4h-vBJcnsC&pg=PA559&lpg=PA559&dq=CB+%2B+%22James+Bryant%22&source=bl&ots=MYJjYXx98x&sig=6OxUWNo5gkdssb5CwgPLSZCZE68&hl=en&ei=aJXLToSvCYu3hAegu8CyDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CGIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=CB%20%2B%20%22James%20Bryant%22&f=false