2025 Youth on the Air Camp Application Period Open

Applications are now being accepted for campers interested in attending the 2025 Youth on the Air Camp. Licensed amateur radio operators, ages 15 through 25, who want to attend are encouraged to apply online at YouthOnTheAir.org. The camp is scheduled to take place 15-20 June 2025, in Thornton (Denver), Colorado and the Denver Radio Club, an ARRL Affiliated Club, is the local host.

The current application period is for the fifth camp for young amateur radio operators in North, Central, and South America. For the best chance at being selected, applications should be submitted by 2359Z on 15 January 2025. Campers will be selected by the working group and notified by 1st February 2025.

To encourage attendance from across the Americas, allocations for campers are being held open for various areas of North, Central, and South America. If countries do not use their allocation or should someone within an allocation decline acceptance, those positions will be filled from the remaining pool of applicants. As this will be an ongoing process, everyone will not receive notification of acceptance at the same time. Preference will be given to first-time attendees.

Applications will continue to be accepted through 1st May 2025 and up to 50 campers will be accepted. The application process is free, but a $100 USD deposit is required upon acceptance. Should a potential camper be unable to pay the $100 deposit, they may apply for a scholarship or waiver. Campers are also responsible for their own arrival and departure transportation to the camp location. Travel assistance may also be available, especially for those travelling from outside of the USA and Canada. Travel during camp events is provided.

For details about the camp, visit the camp web page at YouthOnTheAir.org or email Camp Director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, at director@youthontheair.org.

Hamsci Launches Free Quarterly Newsletter

There's always something fascinating going on with the citizen science team at HamSCI and now there's a new way to keep track of what they're up to.

The amateur radio citizen science investigation team known as HamSCI has begun publishing a new quarterly newsletter focusing on hams and the scientific community.

The newsletter, which is delivered as a free download, contains updates on ongoing projects and any related activities.

HamSCI's founder, Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, expects that the new publication will enhance communication among supporters and observers.

In addition to bringing readers up to date on various projects, the inaugural issue features a number of profiles of volunteers deeply involved in HamSCI's work, including data analyst Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL. The WSPR enthusiast has been deeply involved in various propagation studies.

HamSCI - http://www.hamsci.org/newsletter

RADIO D.A.R.C. to broadcast out of England from January 2025

For almost 10 years, RADIO D.A.R.C. have used the ORS transmitter in Moosbrunn near Vienna for its short wave broadcasts on Sunday mornings.

This will now stop at the end of the year as the station will be shut down. All attempts to save the site have failed, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation wants to finally and completely give up the "short wave" business segment, which allegedly no longer fits into its business model, by December 31, 2024.

The situation is somewhat different in Woofferton, England, around 50 km westsouthwest of Birmingham. The BBC broadcasting complex that exists there is operated by the subsidiary company ENCOMPASS MEDIA and has a total of 10 transmitters and just as many antennas.

RADIO D.A.R.C. announces that effective January 01, 2025, a new broadcast contract has been agreed with the Woofferton short wave station. Contract negotiations were successful and the D.A.R.C. General Council approved the agreement and the budget on the 16th November 2024.

Radio D.A.R.C’s program will be heard from England for the first time on Sunday, January 5, 2025, on the frequency of 9670 kHz (one of the previously used frequencies of ORS). 125 kW transmission power will be used into a 4 over 4 curtain antenna facing 105 degrees towards Germany. The ERP of this configuration is almost 4 million watts.

The familiar transmission on 6070 kHz in the 49m band will continue to be present as the Radio D.A.R.C.program will be transmitted again with 10 kW transmission power from "Channel292" near Ingolstadt in Bavaria (Channel-292 is owned and operated by Ham radio operator Rainer Ebling, DB8QC). The continuation of the national society’s radio program on shortwave is thus secured for the time being.

Radio D.A.R.C. thank the employees of ORS GmbH & CO KG, in particular Ernst Vranka OE3EVA, for the many years of very benevolent and active support. We wish them all the best for their impending retirement.