Archive - February 2025

Our Indian friends have announced another IOTA activation by the same team as AU2V. The following is taken from their website and social media.

This is a rare opportunity for IOTA enthusiasts around the world to log this highly sought-after entity, currently the most wanted IOTA in India! Our team has worked tirelessly to make this activation happen, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Sad news in the Amateur Radio world today. A manufacturer of radio to computer interfaces has been attacked by Russian missiles destroying their administrative and manufacturing buildings. The following is from their website.

[Kyiv, 12 Feb 2025] – Today, RigExpert’s administrative office was completely destroyed by a Russian ballistic missile. Fortunately, all employees are safe.

Despite this difficult situation, the RigExpert team is committed to restoring operations as soon as possible to continue providing our products to you. We are working tirelessly to minimize delays and fulfill our commitments. Besides, we are maintaining our usual customer support operations.  Please, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

“Our top priority is the safety of our team and the continuity of our operations. While our administrative office is in ruins, our production facilities survived, allowing us to continue serving our customers and partners,” said [Ashot Andeev, CEO]

RigExpert is committed to resuming full operations as soon as possible and will keep stakeholders informed throughout the recovery process.

For further information, please contact: office@rigexpert.com

About RigExpert

RigExpert is a leading manufacturer of antenna and cable analyzers, known for its commitment to innovation and quality. Despite current challenges, the company remains dedicated to supporting the global amateur radio and communications community.

This idea came from reading an article in RadCom about a club in Norfolk that had done this with great success. We put out an advert on all the social media channels around the Hinckley area inviting any one with an interest in radio, fixing, making, CB, and any other thing we could think of to do with communications and radio. And it paid off, we sparked interest from radio amateurs who had let their licence lapse and were looking to get back into the hobby, a few who were looking at a new hobby for themselves, and some members who had not been for a couple of years yet still paid their subs. We welcomed all.

On the evening we had Dxpedition videos running on the big screen. Ady (G6AD) brought his Yaesu FT102 line up in to show older radios, his IC7300, and his clansman backpack to show the difference of them. A few different hand held transceivers were also on show. Danny brought his little interface he has built based on the Pi boards and showed how when it will connect to his radio how he will be able to work remote using a tablet. Talk, demonstrations and tea/coffee made for an excellent atmosphere where we introduced the hobby to new visitors and old hands alike. We will definitely be seeing them again, and look forward to the next one.

Thanks to all who attended and chatted to the new faces, and to the old faces who came to get a feel for how the club is now being run.

This has recently been posted on the Peter 1st Island 2027 website. Another rare entity to be activated in the next few years, luckily this one was worked by me back in 2006 when the last team visited the island. I will be supporting and in the pile ups for sure, just to keep my skills up to scratch and get the band slots I need.

Peter I DXpedition team is proud to announce today the signing of a vessel contract with ICETUGS www.icetugs.com that will take us to Peter I Island in February 2027 where we intend to stay 3 weeks around the island. ICETUGS, an Iceland based company, has an excellent track record in providing services for expeditions, cargo and fuel supplies, tugging, as well as rescue and camp setup in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. ICETUGS is the same company that will take Team Bouvet to their destination in 2026.