The RSGB Releases High-Contrast Logbook to Improve Accessibility

/

The RSGB is proud to announce the release of a new high-contrast logbook designed to support amateur radio operators with visual impairments or learning difficulties. Responding to feedback from members and accessibility advocates, the RSGB developed the logbook with wider spacing and a high-contrast black-and-yellow design to improve ease of use.

This release reflects the RSGB’s wider commitment to improving accessibility across all areas of the Society and amateur radio as a whole. The organisation continues to explore ways to make the hobby more inclusive and user-friendly for all participants. This version will be available through Amazon and is expected to be a useful addition for both seasoned operators and newcomers looking for a more accessible logging option. As part of its long-term vision, the RSGB is looking to recruit a dedicated team to assess and enhance accessibility throughout the Society and help shape a more inclusive future for amateur radio.

National Bodies Protect 70cm Band

/
National Bodies Protect 70cm Band

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to oppose part of an application that would impact the 70-centimeter amateur band for telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) of satellites. The application, from AST & Science, LLC (AST), requests “unprecedented authorization to 430-440 MHz for a constellation totaling 248 satellites to communicate with five ground stations using up to five channels with up to 256 kHz bandwidth.”

The formal opposition, filed by ARRL’s Washington Counsel, asserts that the permission AST seeks to use the 430 – 440 MHz band “should be denied because AST does not demonstrate need for TT&C spectrum beyond that available within existing allocations.”

Read More

PRESENTER OPINION :Get a load of this…→

/
PRESENTER OPINION :Get a load of this…

Ground-mounted verticals are all the rage these days in portable HF operations. This is particularly true in POTA activations. We all like to get extra mileage out of our verticals in terms of their frequency range and efficiency, no?

One method is to add an inductor to the radiating element to extend what its length looks like for RF resonance. Some versions of this are to bottom-load the vertical (Wolf River Coils does this with their Sporty Forty coil) as well as center-load it (as does Chelegance does with some of their JPC line of verticals). There are top-loaded designs, too.

Read More