Rochester Hamfest - 6/20/26

 

More info at: https://www.rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm

MFJ sells Ameritron and Mirage RF Amplifier Brands

 The rumored aquisition has finally been confirmed. ITU Corporation is acquiring Ameritron and Mirage RF Amplifier Brands from MFJ Enterprises. ITU also
aquired Hy-Gain and Cushcraft antenna brands from MFJ earlier this year.

Manufacturing of Hy-Gain, Cushcraft, Ameritron, and Mirage are being relocated from Starkville, Mississippi, to ITU Corporation’s 15-acre facility in Linton, Indiana. The transfer is expected to be completed later this year.

Read the full story here:https://www.lintonnews.com/itu-corporation-acquires-ameritron-and-mirage-rf-amplifier-brands-from-mfj-enterprises-free-article/

Link to our earler ITU acquisition story: https://www.upstateham.com/2026/04/mfj-sells-hy-gain-and-cushcraft-product.html

Field Day 2026 - June 27-28

 Field Day is ham radio's open house. Every June, more than 31,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio's science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.

The object of Field Day is to work as many stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 Meter HF bands, as well as all bands 50 MHz and above, and in doing so to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions. A premium is placed on developing skills to meet the challenges of emergency preparedness as well as to acquaint the general public with the capabilities of Amateur Radio

Field Day locator map: https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator

Is your club or group doing something special? Let us know, so we can share it here.

Interesting website for Coax Cable info

 

They says it is "The Ham Radio Operator's Complete Guide to Coax Cable". 

(We will let you be the judge of that. All kidding aside, lots of information here and they build and sell lots of Coax cable configurations.)

"Everything you need to know about coax for ham radio — from choosing between RG-58 and LMR-400 to connectors, weatherproofing, and checking SWR after install."

Check it out: https://www.coaxrf.com/blog/ham-radio-coax-cable-guide

CHU time standard transmissions to end on 6/22/26

 

The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada announced that the station's transmissions will cease. The NRC's official shortwave time signal is scheduled to permanently stop broadcasting on June 22, 2026.

National Research Council Canada station CHU was one of the world’s best-known shortwave time signal stations. Operating continuously from near Ottawa, Ontario, CHU transmitted official Canadian time signals on three frequencies: 3330 kHz, 7850 kHz and 14670 kHz. The station broadcast 24 hours a day using atomic-clock-derived timing signals. Listeners would hear precise one-second ticks, minute markers, bilingual voice announcements, and digital time codes. Unlike ordinary broadcast stations, CHU served a technical purpose. Engineers, researchers, surveyors, broadcasters, radio operators, and hobbyists used it to synchronize clocks and calibrate equipment with remarkable precision.

More info at: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/chu-short-wave-station/

Good article: https://swling.com/blog/2026/05/canadas-chu-will-go-silent-on-shortwave-on-june-22-2026/

New Ham Jumpstart Program

 

QRZ New Ham Jumpstart Program

Through a partnership with GigaParts, this program is designed to lower the barrier to entry into amateur radio by providing new hams with a high quality radio for only $19.99 (plus tax and shipping). Effective April 15, 2026, new hams will be entitled to a 50% discount on the Explorer QRZ-1 VHF/UHF handheld transceiver, as well as a variety of accessories.

The eligible ham must have a QRZ user account and be able to log in and apply for the program. Certain types of identification, including a photo ID, will be required. This information is not shared or exchanged with any party and is used only to validate eligibility under this program. 

This program is available exclusively to USA licensed amateur radio operators who obtained their first license from the FCC within the last 6 months. The Jumpstart program may be changed or terminated without notice based on availability and corporate sponsors.

Get more details here: https://www.qrz.com/jumpstart

SkyWarn Training - Syracuse on 5/20/26

 

Register here: https://www.weather.gov/bgm/outreachskywarntraining

Cortland Hamfest - Sat. June 13, 2026

 

More info at: https://skylinehamradioclub.org/

Lockport Summer Hamfest - 6/6/26

 

More info at: https://www.lockportara.us/home

SteppIR reurning to support Amateur radio market

 SteppIR, which announced in June 2025 that it was halting production of its popular antennas for the amateur radio market, is now returning to the ham radio business. 

A statement last week on the Stepp IR website said that although SteppIR had decided last year to focus on commercial sales, recent favorable developments in that sector are permitting the company to resume supplying hams with antenna kits, parts and accessories as before. The ham radio market will be served only by online sales.

Speaking with folks who own their antennas, all praise of their quality, performance and aesthetics. Most seem to feel that SteppIR antennas fill an important niche, as a great performing beam, for those who want a limited visual and wind load footprint. Most also acknowledge the higher price you pay for this higher end level of product.

learn more at: https://consumer.steppir.com/

Happy Marconi Day!

 

Museum Ship Weekend June 6-7, 2026

 OPERATE W2L WITH FRED AT THE LT-5 TUGBOAT

June 6th and 7th 2026 we will be operating at the World War II Army Tugboat LT-5 in Oswego, New York for the annual Museum Ship Weekend Event. The LT-5 was an instrumental part of Operation Overlord (The D-Day Invasion). She is moored at the H Lee White Museum in Oswego Harbor Oswego, New York.

  A few twists this year though … I have obtained a Special Event Call Sign, W2L, for the event. Oswego Waterfront Festival is also going on at the same time!! I am hoping many other hams want to come and enjoy the weekend and operate from their own portable set ups. My station will be set up inside the Derrick Boat which is moored next to the LT-5. I will be operating Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7 from about 8:00 am until 5:00pm. I will coordinate the log submission to the USS New Jerey Amateur Radio club which sponsors the event upon event completion. Please contact Fred Legawiec, W2LGA at W2LGA@Yahoo.com if you are planning to set up a portable station and participate. I have also verified that this is also a POTA location so it will be considered a POTA Activation also. June 6, 2026 is also the 82nd anniversary of Operation Overlord (D-Day). For event detail see the Battleship New Jersey ARS - Museum Weekend Event info: https://www.nj2bb.org/museum/

Fred Legawiec, W2LGA

MFJ sells Hy-gain and Cushcraft product lines

 MFJ Enterprises, Inc. President Martin F. Jue announced this week the sale of the Hy-gain and Cushcraft antenna, rotator, and communication product lines to ITU Corporation of Linton, Indiana. It was almost one year ago that MFJ announced that it would cease on-site production of Ameritron, Hy-Gain, Cushcraft, Mirage, and Vectronics brand products at their Starkville, Mississippi, facility.

ITU announced that it has purchased the former Linton National Guard Armory to serve as the new manufacturing hub for Hy-gain and Cushcraft. The new ITU manufacturing operation will employ around 20 employees initially and up to 50 as the operation moves into full production.

ITU Corporation Founded in 2003, provides products and services for clients all around the United States and abroad. ITU Corporation’s trademarked LearnLab training systems offer high impact classroom training solutions to schools and companies. ITU also owns Tek Shack a Radio & Electronics online retailer, as well as a retail store in Linton, Indiana.

See the full news article here: https://www.lintonnews.com/itu-corporation-re-purposes-linton-armory-facility-to-house-iconic-amateur-radio-manufacturing-free-article/

MFJ closure story link: https://www.arrl.org/news/mfj-ceasing-on-site-production

Sources: Linton News, ITU website, ARRL News

2026 Spring SkyWarn Training

 The 2026 Skywarn Spring Training Season is almost upon us!

Learn more from your local NWS office listed below:

Binghamton NY NWS SKYWARN page: http://www.weather.gov/bgm/outreachSKYWARNtraining

Buffalo NY NWS SKYWARN page: http://www.weather.gov/buf/Skywarn

Albany NY NWS SKYWARN page:  http://www.weather.gov/aly/skywarn

The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain critical weather information, NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, established SKYWARN® with partner organizations. SKYWARN® is a volunteer program with nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.

Although SKYWARN® spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN® spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms. In the average year, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States. These events threatened lives and property.

Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods.

Learn more about CNY SKYWARN here: https://www.upstateham.com/p/skywarn.html

Learn more at the National SKYWARN web site: https://www.weather.gov/SKYWARN

AWA Spring Meet, Flea Market & Auction - Sat. 5/2/26

 Mark Your Calendars For a Huge Event!        Saturday May 2, 2026  

The annual AWA Spring Meet, Flea Market & Auction will be held at Veteran’s Park in Bloomfield, NY. The park is just across the road from the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 State Route 5, just east of the intersection of Routes 5 & 20 and Route 444. AWA will be operating a Museum Bargain Table and a large Museum Book Sale in the former AWA Annex building located in the park. Also, an Open Flea Market will be held for visitors and members.

As part of the meet, AWA will hold an Auction of duplicate and surplus items from the Museum’s artifacts. Don’t miss it!  This auction will be held in the afternoon in the former AWA Annex. Payment must be by cash or check.  We will not be able to accept credit cards. Auction items will be listed on the AWA web site as they are identified. Watch for updates to the list.

Schedule

Time                         Event
7 AM- Noon              Open Flea Market, at Veteran’s Park
8 AM- Noon              AWA Bargain Table & Book Sale, in the former Annex
10 AM – Noon           AWA Communication Technologies Museum open for visitors
8 AM – 1 PM             Auction pre-view, at the former AWA Annex
1 PM – To End           AWA Auction

Admission for the Day is $5

Flea Market Vendor Pass is an additional $7

More info at: https://www.antiquewireless.org/homepage/