The following is a message from the International Amateur Radio Association (AIRA):

On July 18, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, AIRA will be activating the Barra Lighthouse in Ílhavo, Aveiro- Portugal. We warmly invite radio amateurs to join us in this special activation. The designated callsign will be CS5AIRA.

The activity will operate across the 20 and 40-meter bands, as well as VHF and UHF frequencies. Communications will include links via Echolink-LUSOFONA, LART Network, the QO-100 satellite, and DMR via Talkgroup 268 (10:00 - 12:00) and Talkgroup 91 (14:00 - 18:00) on the BrandMeister platform.

See the event website for more information.

Source: International Amateur Radio Association

The following is a message from W3ND, the Central Pennsylvania Repeater Association:

Special Event Station – August 15th, 2026

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad

136 Brown Street
Middletown, Pennsylvania

The W3ND radio club has stepped back in time aboard a 1920s vintage rail coach. This railroad operates daily and for passenger and freight needs.

Look at their special events on their website. https://www.mhrailroad.com

With radio in hand, join us on the airways from 12 noon to 4 pm. –4UTC at 14.260 & 7.190 MHz SSB, 14.025 & 7.050 CW, and IRLP station 7060.

QSL cards may be requested on the form on the W3ND website, and one will be mailed to you.

Public viewing is available from the Race Street entrance. Rides are available with the purchase of a ticket. KB3YRC

Source: Central Pennsylvania Repeater Association

The following is a message from the 13 Colonies Special Event:

In just a few weeks, one of the most popular summer operating events kicks off – The 13 Colonies Special Event. Now in its 18th year the event has grown from Special Event Stations making approximately 12,000 contacts to last year making 292,496 contacts around the world. The Event runs from July 1 9:00 AM - July 7 Midnight Eastern (July 1 – 1300 UTC – July 8 – 0400 UTC).

This year the 13 Colonies Special Event organizers are recognizing America’s sesquicentennial by featuring many locations where the Declaration of Independence was first read in their city or colony.

The Special Event consists of one station operating in each of the 13 Colonies (K2A – K2M) and three bonus stations (WM3PEN – Philadelphia, GB13COL – England, TM13COL – France). Each representing their city, state, or country’s role in America’s Colonial period. All stations will be offering a special QSL card. A few stations are offering special events within the Special Event. North Carolina’s K2J team says to stay tuned to their Facebook and QRZ page. Philadelphia’s WM3PEN is participating in both the 13 Colonies Special Event as well as the World Soccer Tournament Special Event, Stations who work WM3PEN July 1 -7 will get credit for both events and with a QSL request will get a special qsl card for each event.

Ham Radio operators and SWLs can participate in the event. Complete information about the call for each colony station and the bonus stations can be found on the event website 13colonies.us and they can follow us on Facebook – 13 Colonies Special Event Community. Stations need only make one contact with one of the participating stations or they can go for a Clean Sweep and work all 13 Colony stations and the 3 bonus stations. This year certificates can be downloaded, or ordered online or by mail. Operators can keep an eye out for the special event stations by watching many of the dx spotting networks such as DXSummit.fi.

Source: 13 Colonies Special Event

With the recent announcement that Ham.Live would be going off-line on June 30th, the N5SAC Ham Club stepped up to keep the service alive. The club is currently running a beta instance of Ham.Live on a new server and is seeking the help of hams to beta test the new service.

Ham.Live provides net logging and real-time chat options for anyone conducting or participating in a net. N5SAC felt the service was exceptional and as a result created a campaign to keep it going.

If you'd like to beta test the new Ham.Live instance, head over to the N5SAC website to learn more.

Ham.Live is also available as an open source project for anyone interested in self-hosting their own instance.

Source: N5SAC

A special event organized by Réseau des Émetteurs Français will celebrate the Tour de France. Each stage of the tour will feature its own callsign. Both men's and women's tours will be represented July 4th through August 9th.

For over a century, the Tour de France cycling race has embodied excellence, self-improvement, and the connection between regions. Through this initiative, we aimed to spread the radio amateur spirit throughout France, mobilizing operators, radio clubs, and local associations. The promotion of know-how, team spirit, and friendly competition reminds us of our commitment to service, knowledge transmission, and innovation.

See the TM00TFR QRZ page for more information about operating modes and awards.

Source: TM00TFR

On July 5th, Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden will celebrate Alexander Day.

The unique Alexanderson alternator from 1924, with the call sign SAQ, is scheduled for two transmissions over the antenna on VLF 17.2 kHz CW.

Callsign SAQ will be on the air on VLF 17.2 kHz CW on July 5, 2026.

First Transmission

• 10:25 CEST (08:25 UTC) introduction
• 10:30 CEST (08:30 UTC) Start-up of the Alternator
• 10:45 CEST (08:45 UTC) SAQ in the air VVV VVV VVV de SAQ SAQ SAQ
• 11:00 CEST (09:00 UTC) Transmission of a message

Second transmission

• 14:25 CEST (12:25 UTC) Introduction
• 14:30 CEST (12:30 UTC) Start-up of the Alternator
• 14:45 CEST (12:45 UTC) SAQ in the air VVV VVV VVV de SAQ SAQ SAQ
• 15:00 CEST (13:00 UTC) Transmission of a message

Test transmissions are planned on July 2nd or 3rd between 13:00 – 16:00 CEST. Tickets are available for those wishing to attend in person. Transmissions will not be streamed on YouTube this year.

The amateur radio station SK6SAQ will be on the air as well:

• 3 517.2 kHz CW
• 7.017.2 kHz CW
• 14.017.2 KHz CW
• 3.755 kHz SSB
• 7.140 kHz SSB

Source: The Alexander association

Join Radio Club de la Sarthe in celebrating the greatest race in motorsport, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Special event station TM24H will be on the air through June 14th to highlight the oldest active endurance race in which teams compete to span the greatest distance over 24 hours.

Look for TM24H on the following modes:

• SSB
• CW
• RTTY
• PSK
• FT8
• VHF & QO-100

Source: Radio Club de la Sarthe

The following is a message from HAM RADIO:

This year, HAM RADIO is turning its gaze skyward from June 26 - 28: Under the slogan “Discover the Sky: Amateur Radio meets Astronomy”, the supporting program is offering presentations on current projects and featuring renowned speakers such as Rabea Rogge, the first German woman in space. The trade fair ASTRO, taking place on Saturday June 27, also promises the participation of well-known manufacturers and retailers from the market segment.

Amateur radio, spacenautics, and astronomy are closely related. We cordially invite you to learn more about it and maybe even start planning your visit in our online-ticketshop.

VY 73, Your HAM RADIO team

Editor's note:

HAM RADIO is Europe's largest amateur radio exhibition and takes place at Messe Friedrichshafen in Germany. Learn more about the event.

Source: HAM RADIO

As the FIFA World Cup Tournament begins its matches in North American cities starting Thursday, June 11th, hams in the stadiums’ 16 host cities -- in Canada, the United States and Mexico – will be calling CQ for Football/Futbol on the Air.

They will be using 1x1 callsigns and operating CW, SSB and the digital modes on the HF bands. Teams in each host city will be active on the days the matches are played there. Listen for callsigns, such as W1C, W2C, K0C, K4C, among others – for US call areas – and VC3F and VB7F for Canada. The three stations in Mexico are 4A1MTY, 4A1GDL and 4A1CMX.

The tournament kicks off with the first match in Mexico City on June 11. The final match will take place in the New York/New Jersey host stadium on July 19th. Find additional details on the website http://www.wc2026ses.org or email info@wc2026ses.org

The amateur radio event is not affiliated with the World Cup but has been organised in support of the tournament, which has 48 teams, the largest number of teams in the tournament’s history.

Source: 2026 World Soccer Tournament

Colorado Summits On the Air will be active August 1st and 2nd for the Colorado 14er Event. Two bonus days will take place July 30 and 31.

During the Colorado 14er & Mountaintop Event, amateur radio operators from around Colorado will be activating Summits On The Air (SOTA) peaks and communicating with other radio amateurs across the state and around the world.

A 14er Groups.io list is also available.

Source: 14er

The following is a message from SafecomLink:

SafecomLink has published a new case study documenting live AI-based weather routing over HF radio north of the Arctic Circle. Sailor Harley Soltes (LA/KN7H) used SafecomLink with a Pactor 4 link to access the Safie AI assistant from his vessel off the Norwegian coast — establishing a connection to a land station in Austria (OE3FQU) on 14.120 MHz, then reaching the open internet, with no cellular coverage, no satellite service, and no shore-side infrastructure.

The real-time two-way AI conversation provided wind forecasts and a day-by-day crossing comparison for the passage to Lofoten, Norway. After completing the passage, Soltes reported the AI forecast was more accurate than his usual weather apps and far faster than the WinLink email method he previously used.

This is pretty game-changing — to have fast Pactor 4 communication from sea to a real-time internet AI connection. — Harley Soltes, LA/KN7H

Full case study: https://www.safecomlink.com/post/safecomlink-case-study-maritime

Source: SafecomLink