RAC Names Recipients of Amateur of the Year Award 2025

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) announced the recipients of the Amateur of the Year Award for 2025. This year's honorees, Fred (VE1FA) and Helen (VA1YL) Archibald, are recognised for their years of dedication to the amateur radio community.

Fred and Helen Archibald have been pillars of Amateur Radio in Canada for decades. While the award traditionally reflects contributions within a given year, their sustained excellence in 2025 – combined with a lifetime of service – made them compelling joint recipients.

In addition to being avid organisers of many DXpeditions, VE1FA is an instructor and technological innovator, and VA1YL has served as President of the Canadian Ladies Amateur Radio Association. Learn more about Fred and Helen's contributions to ham radio on the RAC website.

K9 Veterans Day Activation Honors Military Dogs

The Dog Day Radio Amateur Radio Club, K0DOG, best known for participation in International Dog Day each August, will be calling CQ in tribute to dogs who have supported members of the military over the years.

Starting at 0000 UTC 12th March 2026 through to 2359 UTC 13th March 2026, hams will be active on the HF bands using CW and SSB, commemorating K9 Veterans Day.

The late Joe White, a Vietnam veteran and K9 handler, popularized 13th March 2026 as K9 Veterans Day because the date marks the start of dogs’ formal military training in the US in 1942 through the formation of the K9 Corps, or the War Dogs Program of the US Army.

This amateur radio activation is a tribute to all dogs throughout history who have served – wherever they have served.

More Information - https://www.qrz.com/db/K0DOG

Victory in Scotland for Amateur's Tower Installation

Victory was never sweeter for a ham in Scotland who has successfully appealed the local planners' rejection of his tower plans.

The foundations dug and the concrete base with anchor bolts installed, the greatest obstacle facing John Grieve, GM3RTI’s tower project, has been the Scottish winter weather, so John needs to proceed slowly with pulleys, wire ropes and other work; but it was only a few months ago that he could not proceed at all.

Despite supporting statements from neighbours and the Radio Society of Great Britain, the local Perth and Kinross Council rejected John’s planning application for the tilt-over, telescoping structure in the garden behind his home in the village of Inchture. It was to have had an operating height of 15 metres, or 50 feet. John had little opportunity to communicate directly with the Council beforehand. The rejection stated that the project would “have a detrimental impact on the character and environmental quality of the application property and the surrounding area.”

John, who is also an RSGB Region 2 representative, contacted the RSGB Planning Advisory Committee for an appeal in October. In mid-December 2025, he received a 10-year approval. John also gained enthusiastic support on social media: an update on the RSGB’s Facebook page reached more than 35,000 supporters in just a few days, according to society spokeswoman Heather Parsons M7OWS.