Posted on 03/15/2022 4:27:20 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
Radio amateurs in Ukraine appear to be diligently maintaining radio silence as the state of emergency declared there just prior to the Russian military invasion remains in effect. A February 24 decree from President Volodymyr Zelensky included “a ban on the operation of amateur radio transmitters for personal and collective use.” The Ukraine Amateur Radio League (UARL/LRU) reported this past week that it has received many messages of encouragement from the worldwide amateur radio community.
“The LRU informed international amateur radio organizations about Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine,” said the message from UARL Vice President Anatoly Kirilenko, UT3UY. “To date, there have been many reports from radio amateurs around the world in support of Ukraine.”
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has adopted a neutral stance. “IARU is an apolitical organization focused on promoting and defending amateur radio and the amateur radio services,” the IARU said. “The amateur radio service is about self-instruction in communications and friendship between people.” IARU Region 1 has said it continues to monitor the development and expects all radio amateurs “to follow their national laws and regulations.”
IARU Region 1 also re-posted part of an advisory from the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) HF Committee on February 27. “Any radio amateur currently transmitting from Ukraine is risking his or her life. If you hear a Ukrainian station, do not broadcast its call sign, location, or frequency — whether on the band, in a cluster, or on social media. You may be putting lives at risk.” The DARC’s overarching advice: “In the current situation, the best we can do is listen.”
Ukraine’s assigned amateur radio call sign prefixes include EMA – EOZ and the more commonplace URA – UZZ. Some stations with Ukrainian call signs may still be active, because an exception to the amateur radio ban was made for stations in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine (eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts), which have special legal status owing to Russia’s occupation since 2014.
In a Facebook post, Poland’s IARU member-society PZK has offered available Winlink nodes in Poland for any licensed refugees. If you are a licensed amateur radio operator, you can send information by email to your relatives in Poland or Emergency Services via the Winlink system. Polish Winlink nodes are active on 160, 80, and 20 meters: SR5WLK, 3.5955 MHz USB; SR3WLK, 14.111 MHz USB, and SP3IEW, 1.865 MHz USB.
W9IMS, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club — known for its special events commemorating major races at the Speedway — has posted a statement on its QRZ.com profile expressing its concern for well-known QSL maker Gennady V. Treus, UX5UO. The statement reads in part, “His last email to us said: ‘This moment we are safe, but we hear strong explosions near Kyiv. Do not know what will happen in nearest hours/days.’ We have not heard from him for days now. We are greatly concerned for Gennady and his family along with all the other citizens of Ukraine.” — Thanks to The Daily DX, PZK, and to Brian D. Smith, W9IND, for some information
I know I wouldn’t get on hf in Ukraine, but 2 meter simplex might work as long as you move frequently but it’s no good for long range communications depending on terrain. But then you get on satellite.
73 de K3KTB
Russians have good radio signal collection capabilities and a stationary transmission signal can invite artillery rounds, air strikes, or a nice sit down visit by troops, especially if your in enemy controlled lands. Even friendly fire is common if they don’t know who’s transmitting.
They all leave a signature.
Yes, short bursts. Moving a lot helps.
But it depends upon how close the monitoring is. In Kiev, is a lot different than open country. And even then it depends upon terrain.
Actually Wifi might actually be safer if you are within a few miles and have highly directive feed horn antennas. If designed properly to suppress side lobes.
Satellite phones can operate the same way. But if monitoring from aircraft or drones, that is exposed.
The US military and the NSA are very very good at what they do.
The FBI and NSA are now in the hands of our enemies. (not all of them, but the leadership, in my opinion)
By and large they are good people.
Some of them are amazing techs and engineers.
In the process I have met some amazing people.
I once was part of a group (ARRL sponsored) that received Arnie Coro (Ham Call CO2KK) (Chief Engineer for Radio Havanna) in Oklahoma City.
Arnie was a likable guy, and incredible engineer. I showed hims some of my projects and his observations were excellent.
He told us he was a technico, not a politico. Not sure it was that simple. smile.
Well - lets learn a little history.
The US hams were shut down completely at the onset of WWI and WWII. In fact we were lucky to get the frequencies back after both! The ARRL (The national ham radio org) was instrumental in both cases.
So did it surprise me that Ukraine shut down amateur operations in time of war - not one bit. As others have mentioned - Radio Direction Finding is EASY - I do it as a hobby and we find the guys every time. Military have BETTER gear than I do by some orders of magnitude!
Then there is the simple matter that we are talking about Short Wave transmissions that can span continents. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect way to communicate with spies? So any amateur radio frequency transmissions within my country during a time of war would be a spy - because we’ve ordered all of our patriotic types off the air for the duration. Seems a practical state security matter to me.
73s de Steve KA6S
Yes, but not when people are slinging anti-radiation (read: home on radio broadcast) missiles around. Broadcasting in an environment like that one is a great way to get a HARM (or in this case, a Kh-58 or Kh-31) sent to your broadcast site, if not a smartbomb.
You're assuming a lot. You don't know much about me.
I grew up on a farm. My family has owned/operated them here since 1889. I moved away in 1972, came back in 1995.
You seem to think that small towns are made up of rednecks (derogatory term), but yes I am right of center. Like almost everyone on FR.)
I’m trying to decide between an Icom 705 or a KX2. The KX2 is backordered 2 or 3 months.
Correct.
Both good QRP rigs.
Here is what appears to be a honest discussion of
https://qrper.com/2021/04/which-should-you-buy-the-icom-ic-705-or-the-elecraft-kx2/advantages.
(you may have already read this comparison)
ICOM has the best reputation over time on building radios. But the KX2 has some good features and is more compact for back packing.
So the decision should be upon what you are planning for.
Bear in mind, that ICOM has licensed some of their designs to foreign manufacturers but that does not immediately transfer the craftsmanship.
I just bought an ICOM 745. Not new by any means. But very well made. This one was in good shape and I really like it. Like I said, just received it yesterday, but ran it through the paces already. (this radio will probably not operate much below 10 watts and will have a higher quiescent current than what you are looking for. But with my solar panels and a win charger that I intent to put up I will be able to stay on the air with what I bought. I also have a welder/power plant.
Am an old timer (74), and am not in love with complexity. Still long for the days of analog radio’s and the presence of “hollow space” (vacuum tube) radio’s. I still have some.
In terms of quality of audio that is hard to beat. And it was a long time before solid state receiver front ends surpassed tube receiver front ends on several levels.
73 de AA5OI (Dave)
agree
Just checking to make sure we are on the same team. I am a right wing redneck and proud of it...
OK.
Did not get that.
The Ham club I'm a part of has their radio trade show this weekend so I might bring along some cash to snap up any deals while I'm working there.
KE0NAQ
Just because the tuner matches the impedance of the antenna, does not mean it radiates well. I have a home brew tuner that will load a windmill tower or a rusty piece of pipe, but the pattern? Who knows.
For portable use it is hard to beat a dipole. For fixed installation, it depends upon what bands you want to work.
Height above ground is an issue too.
It is very hard to tell exactly what is happening in Ukraine.
Lots of lies and propaganda are floating.
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