Last updated: May 06, 2026 at 4:00 AM ET — Curated daily by W4GGJ for TavaOne.com
Source: ARRL News
Big news on the regulatory front — the FCC has given AST SpaceMobile the green light to use a slice of our 70 cm band for emergency satellite telemetry and control, but only when those birds are outside the US. Worth keeping an eye on as their 248-satellite constellation grows, since any creep toward domestic use could mean interference concerns for us down the road.
Source: ARRL News
Hamvention is right around the corner and ARRL has dropped their free events app to help you navigate the chaos in Xenia — grab it now so you can plan your forums, vendor visits, and flea market runs before you even hit the parking lot. If you're making the pilgrimage to the world's biggest ham radio gathering this year, this one's a must-have on your phone.
Source: QRPer Blog
Paul (W7CPP) took the Chameleon CHA PRV 2.0 vertical and rigged it up for true backpack-portable POTA use — a great read for anyone who's struggled to get a vertical deployed quickly in a park where staking a wire just isn't practical. As someone who's always looking to streamline the field kit, this kind of real-world mod is exactly the inspiration we need.
Source: QRPer Blog
Thomas (K4SWL) and friends hit the parks with Zach (AI4ZD) making his very first CW activation alongside his daughter Maggie (KR4FTN) — a heartwarming POTA outing that also gives an honest look at how tough band conditions have been lately. If you've been frustrated by the bands yourself, you're in good company!
Source: QRPer Blog
Thomas (K4SWL) turns a pedestrian mobile activation at Johnston Mill State Nature Preserve into a fun story with a surprise ending — proof that even a tough slog through a park can deliver a satisfying finish. Great field report for any POTA hunter or activator looking for a little inspiration this week.
Source: OnAllBands
WG8X makes a solid case for the end-fed half-wave antenna as a go-to option for portable ops, and takes a hands-on look at the Spooltenna Parks EFHW4010 and the new DX Engineering TWIG EFHW Feedpoint Kit. If you're heading out for POTA activations and still hunting for that perfect lightweight antenna solution, this is a worthwhile read before you pack your bag.
Source: OnAllBands
OnAllBands has your full rundown of May's CW contest calendar, with special attention on the big one at the end of the month — the CQ WW WPX CW Contest. Even if CW isn't your primary mode, WPX is a fantastic chance to work some DX and add new prefixes to the log.
Source: ARRL News
ARRL has just published a new guide to amateur satellite operating aimed at hams who've been curious about working the birds but didn't know where to start with tracking or equipment. With all the buzz around satellites in the news lately — including the AST SpaceMobile 70 cm situation — it's a good time to understand how hams have been using space-based comms for decades.
Source: ARRL News
Dr. Ethan Miller (K8GU) and Dr. Nathaniel Frissell (W2NAF) have been recognized with the 2025 Bill Orr Technical Writing Award for their QST article on radio wave propagation — a great nod to the kind of technical content that helps all of us understand why our signals go where they do. If you're into the science behind FT8 propagation and DX paths, this article sounds like a must-read.