Changes for WPSD Announced by Chip, W0CHP

The most popular WPSD disk images are now based on the “Trixie”[1] version of RaspberryPi OS. These new disk images include the universal WPSD disk image for multi-core Raspberry Pi platforms, as well as disk images for the ZumSpot LCD Screen hotspots (Elite 3.5 and Mini 2.4) and the BridgeCom SkyBridge Max hotspot. The Trixie-based WPSD disk images are available for download from the usual location: the WPSD Project homepage.

Upgrading: Since these disc images are completely new operating systems, they must be installed via the SD Card method. See the WPSD User Manual for disk image upgrade instructions. Our other, less-popular WPSD disk images will eventually be converted to the Trixie OS over time.

Note that the WPSD Project team will continue to support existing Bookworm-based (v.12) installations until the official Bookworm end-of-life (June 10, 2026). [1]: “Trixie” is the Debian GNU/Linux codename for this operating system (v.13), of which the RaspberryPi OS is built/based upon.

Hamshack Hotline goes QRT

The Hamshack Hotline project officially ended on August 29th, 2025. It was started in 2018 and had grown to over 7,000 interconnections at its peak. The board of directors voted unanimously to sunset the project, citing the increasing demands on their small volunteer team and difficulty maintaining service standards. They have encouraged users to transition to other similar VOIP ham radio networks like Hams Over IP. Remaining cash reserves after final expenses will be donated to a veterans’ charity

Florida Repeater Coordination now left to Hams?

Founded between 1984 and 1986 was the Florida Repeater Council.  In 2017 or so, the the unraveling of the Florida Repeater Council, FASMA, the Florida Amateur Spectrum Management Association was formed and was doing a good job with repeater coordination and band plan management for the State of Florida.  However, around February of 2023, FASMA went almost silent and no word was released until January 2025, almost two years later.  That message basically said there were two, and more than likely, one person left to handle the backlog of coordination requests, and any new requests.  As of September 1, 2025, it’s been eight months since that possible resurgence of FASMA came out.

At this time it appears coordination of repeaters will be left to hams to insure they are not selecting frequencies for their repeaters that could interfere with existing repeaters.  All are reminded to follow the band plan on the FASMA site by clicking here.  The band plan isn’t just for repeater owners, it’s for all of us to observe and pay close attention to, even if you’re just putting a hotspot online.

With any luck, more communication will come out from FASMA.

When is the last time you logged into the FCC License Manager?

Your license may not be ready for renewal, but it is still good to make sure you know how to log into your FCC FRN account for when that time comes.  Don’t wait till the last minute and realize you have an issue when it comes time to change your address or renew your license.  Do you have an Official Copy (Authorization) of your license printed?  If not you can do that in the FCC License Manager.  Click here to log into the FCC License Manager.

Also, do you know when your license expires?  Don’t let life get busy and forget that you have to renew your license.  I chatted with a ham recently that had moved a few times and life interrupted his ham radio operations.  He had just moved and was setting up his station.  When I arrived home, I looked up his call and realized his license expired a year prior.  Since it was within the two years of expiring (a time period where you are not supposed to operate), he could renew without taking exams all over again.  I informed him of this next time I talked to him and he took care of the renewal right away.  Remember when your license expires!

Check out the Tampa Bay Amateur Radio Guide

A good look at Amateur Radio in the Tampa Bay area can be found at https://bit.ly/tbarg

It’s a guide for new amateurs in this area, with info on all of the amateur radio clubs and groups, local repeaters, local nets, area Hamfests, etc.

Are you familiar with 2023 Florida Statute 720.3045?  You should be…

720.3045 Installation, display, and storage of items.—Regardless of any covenants, restrictions, bylaws, rules, or requirements of an association, and unless prohibited by general law or local ordinance, an association may not restrict parcel owners or their tenants from installing, displaying, or storing any items on a parcel which are not visible from the parcel’s frontage or an adjacent parcel, including, but not limited to, artificial turf, boats, flags, and recreational vehicles. 

This statute could be helpful if you want to put up an antenna in your back yard.  Watch this video clip, with a link, regarding antennas in HOAs.  Click here to watch the video.

Have a DMR ID that starts with a 1?  You may have some work ahead of you…

If you currently have a device connecting to Brandmeister with a Radio ID starting with the digit “1”,  then you need to read the information posted on the Brandmeister site by clicking here.

To facilitate operations, scripting, and automation on Brandmeister, they are now starting the complete removal of Radio IDs that do not comply with the internationally recognized MCC (Mobile Country Code) numbering system.

If you currently have a device connecting to Brandmeister with a Radio ID starting with the digit “1”,  you will need to login to your radioid.net account.  You will then click on the 1n ID. You will then see a button to Convert to 3n. Click it.

Once done, you will be returned to your dashboard and have a new 3n ID.

Until you do this, you may be heard locally on a repeater, but your transmission will not forward out onto the DMR network.

Having issues with Prolific radio programming cables and Windows 11?

Are you planning to move to WIndows 11, have moved to Windows 11, or just received the huge 24H2 Windows Update and none of your cheaper, Prolific driver cables are working to program your radio(s)?  Well, you’re not alone in having this issue.  I have fielded questions from many folks with the same problem and I’ve experienced it in the field when programming radios after a recent Windows update.

BlueMax49ers, a great company to buy programming cables from, posted an article on their Website (click here) that discusses the issues people are having on Windows 11 with their Prolific cables, especially the cheaper cables.  Their short article mentions the following:

Prolific Technologies recently announced that they were ending driver support for the PL2303TA chipset, which they have been selling for over ten years. As a result, all new versions of the PL2303 drivers after V3.8.39.0 will show an error message that the PL2303TA is no longer supported on Windows 11. However, at least for now, older versions of Windows will still work with the latest PL2303 drivers.

How to get your Prolific PL2303TA cables to work on Windows 11

First, you must remove all version PL2303 drivers from your computer using the Add and Remove Programs. Then you download and install the version Prolific Drivers for Windows and you will get the V3.8.39.0 from the BlueMax49ers.com website.

To make it easier for you, here is a download link (click here) to the V3.9.39.0 driver to get your cables working again.  Note that you may have to go into Device Manager for the cable in question, tell it to Update Driver, then select from a list on your local computer, and choose the older driver that was installed to get your cable working again.   Everyone I’ve shared this with, including myself, have had no issues getting Prolific cables working on Windows 11.

Would you like to print an official (or unofficial) copy of your amateur radio license?

As of February 17, 2015, the FCC no longer routinely issues paper license documents to Amateur Radio applicants and licensees.  The Commission has maintained for some time now that the official Amateur Radio license authorization is the electronic record that exists in its Universal Licensing System (ULS).  For complete instructions on how you can print a copy of your license, visit https://tinyurl.com/printfcclicense

Goodbye KQ4 Call Signs, Hello KR4

On Christmas Eve 2024, the FCC issued the last KQ4 call, KQ4ZZZ to Alex Mercier in Southern Pines, NC.  Also, on the same day, KR4AAA was issued to Christine Collins in Cordova, NC.  They finished the day by issuing KR4AAI to Laurence Namdar in Holly Hill, FL.

Back on May 4, 2022, KQ4AAA was issued.  So in the course of 965 days, we went through the entire KQ4 prefix of calls, which is 17,567 new licenses issued for the fourth call district.  Of course, the other 16 call districts managed by the FCC, also had issued a good number of calls, but none went through them as fast as the fourth call district.

An update on November 27, 2025, shows the current KR4 callsign issued as KR4HUW.  In the 338 days that have passed since the first KR4 callsign was issued on 12/24/2024, there have now been 5,275 callsigns issued.  That leaves 12,425 left to be issued in the KR4 callsign group.  

Are you a D-Star Fan?

If you use D-Star, you may already be familiar with Dstarinfo and Dstarusers Web sites.  A page you may want to visit is the D-Star Fan page at https://dstar.fans/?s=09