“Extending FT8 via OpenAI Android and IOS app generation” at 2026 HamX

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Come and attend this exciting talk by Dhiru Kholia, VU3CER, and Bradshaw Lupton, K1TE, entitled “Extending FT8 via OpenAI Android and IOS app generation” at the 2026 Northeast HamXposition. 

Their work—developing Android, iOS, and FT8/WSPR applications with ChatGPT as a supervised development partner—focuses on the controlled and thoughtful use of AI tools to extend today’s digital ecosystem, treating AI not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a managed instrument for accelerating understanding, experimentation, and responsible software design. 

Dhiru Kholia was first licensed as VU3CER in 2019. He received a BE degree in Electronics & Telecommunication from Pune University in 2006. He then pursued a career in software security engineering with various MNC firms. He became interested in electronics again after a long gap due to his growing passion for hardware security. Besides amateur radio, he enjoys table tennis, chess, releasing miscellaneous projects on GitHub, and reverse-engineering software and hardware stuff.

Bradshaw Lupton, K1TE, was licensed as WA2IVF in 1968. He was an engineer at Honeywell and Polaroid for 33 years, and a physics and chemistry teacher in the Boston area for 11 years. Bradshaw advises the Sandwich STEM Academy and has developed WSPR/FT8 STEM classes for the Chatham Marconi RCA museum. His STEM students are learning the power of WSJTX digital with 3.3v and 1/100 watt making it, occasionally, from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts to Melbourne, Australia. 

“Why Does the Earth Quake in New England?” at 2026 HamXposition

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Dr. Alan KafkaDon’t miss, “The Mystery of Earthquakes in the Eastern United States: Why Does the Earth Quake in New England?” by Dr. Alan Kafka, at the 2026 Northeast HamXposition (“HamX”).

“When people think of earthquakes, they probably think of a lot of places other than the Eastern United States (EUS), such as California and Japan,” says Kafka.  “But (long ago), when I was a graduate student studying earthquakes in the Caribbean plate region, I discovered that earthquakes also occur in ‘my own backyard’ here in the EUS, and in fact they occur all around New England. Since then, I have been obsessed with the enigma of why earthquakes occur in the EUS, and in New England in particular, deep within the interior of the North American plate.”

Dr. Kafka’s research and teaching integrates geophysics, earthquake science, applied mathematics, environmental systems, and community science for the greater good. He studies earthquakes in many regions of planet Earth and has long been obsessed with the enigma of why earthquakes occur in the Eastern US, deep within the interior of the North American plate. Dr. Kafka is also active in the global community of seismologists maintaining networks of seismographs for monitoring earthquakes and other seismic events around the world. After 42 years of teaching at Boston College and conducting research at BC’s Weston Observatory (a geophysical research and science education center), he retired from his faculty position at BC at the end of 2025 to pursue his lifelong dream of being an independent scientist. 

HamX Promoted at Algonquin Flea Market, February 14, 2026

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HamXposition leadership were on hand at the the Algonquin ARC Flea Market in Marlborough, MA on February 14 to staff a table promoting the Northeast HamXposition (“HamX”). 

Larry Krainson, W1AST, Marketing Chair; and Barbara Irby, KC1KGS, Volunteer Coordinator, hosting the HamX table at the Algonquin Flea Market

 

Ray LaJoie, AA1SE, Flea Market Chair; and Larry Krainson, W1AST, Marketing Chair, at the Algonquin Flea Market

Northeast HamXposition Approved to Host 2026 ARRL New England Division Convention

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Steve Ewald, WV1X, ARRL Field Organization Supervisor, has confirmed that FEMARA, Inc., has been approved to host the ARRL New England Division Convention at the Northeast HamXposition in Marlborough, Massachusetts on August 13 -16.  Headquarters staff have added this event to the ARRL Hamfests and Conventions data base on the ARRL Web page.

Ewald writes, “you are welcome to display the ARRL diamond when promoting your events on web sites, in e-mails, advertisements and all other program materials.  The ARRL logo can be obtained by downloading it from www.arrl.org/logos-photos.”

The League will supply FEMARA with ARRL prize coupon certificates to use at its prize drawing. 

2026 HamX: Call for Speakers

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2026 HamX logo

 

HamX is the largest amateur radio convention in the Northeast!  With close to 1,800 attendees each year, HamX draws radio amateurs from all over and is an ideal venue to present your ideas and experiences.

This is a call for speakers on topics of general interest to the amateur radio community.  Some examples include: Operating practices, contesting, DXing, mobile stations, emergency communications, emerging activities, STEM outreach, club improvement, radio history, restoring antique gear, test equipment, kit building, antenna design, AI in amateur radio, VHF/UHF/Microwave/Mesh, EME and more.  If you have a story to share, we would like to hear about it.

To submit a talk proposal, please go to the following website and enter the requested information. 

 https://registration.hamx.org/speaker/

If you have any further questions, please reach out to the program chair at the e-mail address listed below.

We look forward to your contribution at HamX 2026!

Mark Noe KE1IU

HamX Program Committee Chairperson

ke1iu@hamx.org

KE1IU to Chair Program Committee

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Mark Noe, KE1IU, who has presented at HamX multiple times, will be taking on the role of Program Committee Chairperson for HamX 2026.  The seminar and activities program is part of what sets HamX apart from other area hamfests, providing valuable technical information, tips on operating practices and activities for beginners and experienced radio amateurs alike.  Mark has gathered a team of former and new volunteers for this committee, which will focus on recruiting speakers and session organizers to put on a high quality program for the convention.  

Skip Youngberg, K1NKR, is the previous Program Chairperson and has agreed to serve on the Program Committee for 2026.

QuickSilver Radio to Reopen in January 2026

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John Bartscherer, N1GNV, (better known as “John Bee”) of Meriden Connecticut,  owner of Quicksilver Radio Products, passed away on October 23, 2025. 

John was a familiar fixture at the Northeast HamXposition and other hamfests and conventions. He also ran the “Nutmeg” Hamfest, sponsor of the Connecticut State Convention. Prior to founding Quicksilver Radio Products, John was the QST Advertising Manager for many years.

The Quicksilver Radio Products website is reporting on its website that the company will briefly suspend business to conduct inventory and reorganizing, then reopen for business in January 2026.

QCWA Donation to FEMARA Acknowledged

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QCWA logoFEMARA, Inc., sponsor of the Northeast HamXposition and New England ARRL Division Convention, received this note today from QCWA President Anthony Perales, AI1U:
 
November 14, 2025
 
Larry Banks, W1DYJ
FEMARA Director
PO Box 2192
Littleton, MA 01460
 
Dear Larry and Members of the FEMARA Board,
 
Thank you for your thoughtful correspondence and for forwarding FEMARA’s appreciation to QCWA. We are pleased to support the Northeast HamXposition, and we are honored that our contribution will help advance the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program. Your acknowledgement is sincerely appreciated.
 
QCWA highly values FEMARA’s continued leadership and its dedication to strengthening the amateur radio community. We also appreciate your recognition of John Facella, K9FJ, whose commitment and service reflect the core values of QCWA.
 
Please accept our warm regards and our appreciation for FEMARA’s continued dedication to education, innovation, and fellowship within amateur radio. We have included the attached acknowledgement letter for your records.
 
V/r,
Anthony Perales, M.B.A., B.Sc. (Ai1u)
President 

Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc.    

– General: ai1u@qcwa.org 
– Web Inquiries: webmaster@qcwa.org 

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