Today on the Bands — Thursday, June 18, 2026
Thursday brings a satisfying mix of shack hardware and on-air history: DX Engineering revives a beloved station selector, while WSJT-X 3.0 lands as a stable release worth your attention. We've also got an Irish island IOTA romp, a record-breaking honoree in Vicksburg, and the slow fade of AM broadcasting on both sides of the Atlantic.
- 01 New Product Spotlight: DX Engineering A/B Station Selector Interlocked Coaxial Relay
DX Engineering's drop-in replacement for the legacy Top Ten Devices A/B selector means SO2R and multi-radio operators won't be left scrounging for a discontinued favorite.
Read at source ↗ - 02 EI3LH: An Irish Island IOTA Adventure!
Ian's tale of boats, birding, classic cars, fountain pens, and a double POTA ATNO proves that island radio is as much about the journey as the QSOs.
Read at source ↗ - 03 BBC Begins Phased Closure of Radio 5 Live AM Transmitters
The BBC's phased shutdown of Radio 5 Live AM transmitters is another reminder that the medium-wave dial is quietly emptying out for SWLs and band-scanners alike.
Read at source ↗ - 04 W5XX Goes Ball Peen Mode to Break the ARRL All-Time Record
Malcolm W5XX gets a well-earned surprise from the Vicksburg club, a feel-good nod to the operators who quietly rack up records over a lifetime.
Read at source ↗ - 05 July 2026 – Strategic priorities update
As RSGB plans its 2026 National Hamfest presence, the society reflects on recent changes—worth a read if you care about where UK amateur radio is headed.
Read at source ↗ - 06 ANS-172 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
This week's AMSAT bulletin previews Field next weekend and the Space Symposium, plus an intriguing piece framing satellites as 'the new fire towers.'
Read at source ↗ - 07 Immediate Frequency Change for VORW Radio International’s broadcast to East Asia
VORW's hasty move off 9705 kHz after a neighboring station's interference shows how crowded the shortwave broadcast bands remain for those still tuning East Asia.
Read at source ↗ - 08 WSJT-X 3.0 Stable Released: What's New
WSJT-X 3.0 reaches stable release, so FT8, FT4, and weak-signal devotees finally have a vetted upgrade worth scheduling into the next operating session.
Read at source ↗
The HamDaily digest — five minutes, the whole band.