Open-source software keeps lowering the barriers this Friday, from a MacOS TX-500 utility to hidden SDRs lurking in cheap wireless chips. We've also got radios old and new going head-to-head, youth getting on HF over the internet, and a reminder that even POTA ops enjoy a proper ragchew now and then.

In today’s roundup

• QRPer Notes: Open-Source MacOS TX-500 Utility App, D-Star and Hotspot Setup Assistance, and a Visual Path, Open-Source Browser-Based SDR App — QRPer
  A grab-bag of open-source goodies, including a MacOS app for the TX-500 and a browser-based SDR, is worth a look for tinkerers and field operators alike.
• An Informal Hands-On Comparison of the Tecsun H-501x, Belka, and Sony ICF-2010/2001D — The SWLing Post
  A hands-on shootout between the modern Tecsun H-501x, the pocketable Belka, and the legendary Sony ICF-2010 is catnip for SWLs weighing new gear against classics.
• Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2641 — The DXZone
  This week's roundup zeroes in on VHF/UHF antenna projects, including 2-meter and dual-band J-poles built from twin-lead—good inspiration for a weekend homebrew.
• The Remote Ham Radio Youth Program—Operating a Station Over the Internet at No Cost — OnAllBands (DX Engineering)
  Remote stations let youth tackle DXing, satellite work, and CW contesting at no cost, neatly sidestepping the steep HF access barrier that keeps newcomers off the air.
• Another Wireless Chip has a Hidden SDR Revealed — Hackaday · Radio
  Hot on the heels of the ESP32 SDR revelation, another cheap wireless chip hides a baseband mode—fertile ground for experimenters chasing software-defined radio on a budget.
• Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2555 for Friday, October 16th, 2026 — Amateur Radio Newsline
  This week's Newsline spans new FCC online electronics-sales rules, a Crew-12 homecoming, and a fresh four-year NASA-ARISS agreement keeping ham radio alive aboard the ISS.
• Operating notes: POTA ops becoming ragchewers, all quiet on 30 meters, give me a BK — KB6NU
  Dan's notes on a weak-signal CW contact remind us that POTA activators are warming up to real ragchews, even when conditions and fists are shaky.
• The 2026 ARRL Online Auction Is Now Open — ARRL News
  The 21st annual ARRL Online Auction runs through October 22 with 200-plus items, from QST review gear to vintage books—time to budget your bids.

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