July 27, 2025 News Linkup
In the world of amateur radio, a significant development is unfolding as AST SpaceMobile plans to build a constellation of 248 large communication satellites. This ambitious project, if successful, would see a substantial portion of the 70-cm amateur radio band (around 430 to 440 MHz) being used for satellite communications, potentially affecting operators who use this spectrum for repeater communications.
AST SpaceMobile is not a newcomer to this field. They are already licensed by the FCC for 430-440MHz for their five-satellite test constellation. However, the company is seeking a modification of their license to support the full constellation, which would include 243 additional satellites.
The band from 430 to 440 MHz, central to the 70-cm amateur radio band, is sought by AST SpaceMobile for their satellites. This band allocation covers the entire 70-cm band for unlucky hams in Europe and the UK, causing concern among the amateur radio community.
Elsewhere, Microsoft is making strides in environmental sustainability. The tech giant plans to turn waste into a slurry and pump it deep underground to sequester carbon dioxide and methane, offsetting greenhouse emissions from their data centers.
In a different realm, Knights of Old, a trucking company in Northamptonshire, UK, ceased operations due to a ransomware attack that exploited an employee's weak email password. The attackers encrypted files and demanded £5 million, an amount beyond the company's means.
In more light-hearted news, Tom Lehrer, a well-known nerd icon, passed away at the age of 97. Lehrer was a mathematician and satirical songwriter, but there is no evidence that his death influenced regulatory decisions or reallocation proposals related to amateur radio bands.
Finally, Tool Trace, a service that creates Kaizen foam inserts for organizing tool drawers directly from a photo, has gained popularity. Users can either cut the foam themselves or send the files out for commercial manufacturing. Tool Trace foam inserts are Gridfinity-compatible, offering a convenient solution for tool organization.
While the 70-cm amateur radio band is currently under consideration for reallocation for commercial satellite use, the passing of Tom Lehrer himself did not impact this situation. The mention of the 70-cm band in the context of his passing in one article is coincidental and relates more to the timing of news coverage in the amateur radio community rather than any causal relationship.
As always, the amateur radio community continues to navigate changes and challenges, from satellite constellations to ransomware attacks, all while maintaining their passion for communication and technology.
- The amateur radio community is facing a potential change with AST SpaceMobile's plan to use a significant portion of the 70-cm band for satellite communications.
- AST SpaceMobile, although not new to the field, is seeking a modification of their license to support a constellation of 248 satellites in the 430 to 440 MHz band.
- The use of the 430 to 440 MHz band by AST SpaceMobile's satellites is causing concern among the amateur radio community, particularly in Europe and the UK where the entire 70-cm band is affected.
- Microsoft is embracing environmental sustainability by planning to convert waste into a slurry for deep underground sequestration of carbon dioxide and methane.
- Knights of Old, a trucking company in Northamptonshire, UK, recently ceased operations due to a ransomware attack, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity, especially in protecting email accounts.
- Tom Lehrer, a mathematician and satirical songwriter, passed away at the age of 96, leaving a legacy in the world of pop-culture and music.
- Tool Trace, a service that uses photos to create custom foam inserts for tool drawers, has gained popularity among DIY enthusiasts and professionals in the home-and-garden sector.
- The reallocation of the 70-cm amateur radio band for commercial satellite use is a separate issue from Tom Lehrer's passing, despite some articles suggesting otherwise.
- The amateur radio community continues to adapt to changes and challenges such as satellite constellations, ransomware attacks, and regulatory decisions, while maintaining their passion for technology and communication.
- Finance-related businesses, including personal-finance and business entities, should take notice of the potential financial impact of ransomware attacks, as demonstrated by the Knights of Old incident.
- Data-and-cloud-computing companies, space-and-astronomy organizations, and travel companies, among others, can look to Microsoft's carbon sequestration initiative as a possible model for environmental sustainability best practices in their respective industries.
