Weeknotes 2026-46

Happenings

The 2027 Hamvention introduces new software to address previous issues with antiquated software. All entry tickets are electronic QR codes! No paper tickets exist or will be mailed. This includes General Admission and Flea-market admission tickets.
Buzz, BuZZ, BUZZ - that growing buzz is from the Brass Knuckle Gang, a loose association of two-meter CW enthusiasts. I hear about it everywhere I go, this hot trend is worth watching, or joining, if interested.
The WPX award was administered by CQ Magazine until its demise. W1CU continued to maintain these records until he became a Silent Key. Now Dennis, NE6I is continuing that work until it can be transitioned to another organization.
ARRL’s National Traffic System, which is responsible for routing radiogram messages from their origins to their destinations, is alive and well and is being upgraded to remain relevant in the 21st century, including an online Radiogram Portal for those without access to a local NTS net to originate messages. See the NTS2.0 website for details.
ITU Member States re-elect Doreen Bogdan-Martin as Secretary-General. Second term priorities include expanding digital opportunity, advancing secure and resilient innovation, and ensuring ITU remains future-ready.

2026: AMSAT-DL Update and Future projects - Peter Gülzow, DB2OS, presented at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Milton Keynes, October 10th & 11th 2026 (via YouTube).
"10 Years Left" — The Hard Truth My Pipe Taught Me - in this life advice video for men over 50, we explore the wisdom of getting older, the fear of running out of time, and the hard truth a lifetime of pipe smoking can teach you (via YouTube).
Artemis II launch tore a hole in Earth's atmosphere, say scientists - NASA's Artemis II mission caused enormous disturbances in Earth's atmosphere that scientists say could have disrupted GPS and other communications (via web).
Raspberry Pi 5 16GB price rises to $385 amid memory shortages - Chief Executive Eben Upton attributed the increase to a lack of alternative 16GB DRAM supply, compounded by wider component shortages (via web).
The Brasspounder - "This is the story of how it used to be in the romantic days of railroading, when the entire force, from the policymaker at the top to the track laborer at the bottom, took pride in a railroad's service, its efficiency, its safety, and its personal appearance ... and 'on time' was a religion." Author D.G. Sanders worked 50 years for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a telegrapher and block operator (via book).