A Visit to Italy's Begali's Keys Factory

Begali Keys are known to morse code operators throughout the world as first class instruments, and works of art.  Here is the story of one ham's recent visit to the storied Begali factory in Italy.

After three years of learning and improving my CW, I bought my first Begali key at Orlando HamCation in 2023. I used this key as I became progressively more partial to CW over any other mode. It somehow became a physical piece of motivation for me to always improve my CW skills.

Not only have I enjoyed operating at home with my Begali key, but also at the YOTA camps I’ve attended. The Begali family has donated keys to the YOTA organizations in both Europe and the Americas and is a big supporter of youth in amateur radio. For any non-YOTA camp trips that I’ve been on, my Begali key comes along as well in case there’s a chance for me to do CW. So, it was no surprise this past summer that while packing for my exchange year in Germany, the key was one of the first pieces of amateur radio equipment to go on the list.

When I packed it, though, I had no idea I’d have the opportunity to visit the Begali factory and see exactly where and how my key had been made.

During my fall break from school, my host family and I took a trip to Italy. We could travel there relatively quickly from their home in southern Bavaria. A few weeks before our trip, I reached out to Bruna Begali, KI2RTF, to let her know we would be close by and to see if she would be interested in catching up while we were there. To my surprise and delight, she graciously offered to give us a tour of the Begali Keys factory.

We accepted the offer and started our trip to Italy with a visit to Brescia, where the company has been producing keys for more than 60 years. It was about a two-hour drive from where we were staying in Trento, Italy. When we arrived at the small but very impressive factory, we were first warmly greeted outside by the dogs, and then by Bruna and her father—company founder Piero, I2RTF.

Here I am at the factory with Bruna Begali, KI2RTF, and Piero Begali, I2RTF.

After greeting everyone, we sat down and had coffee while we chatted about the basics of the production process and key points in the business’s history. Then we watched the steps involved in producing a CW key. Each key begins as a block of metal, gradually taking its shape through numerous cutting and chiseling processes.

The Detroit to Finland Connection

Finnish DXers log WCHB(AM) from a remote cabin in northern Lapland

DXers Mika Mäkeläinen, Timo Metso and Jari Luoma in Lapland, Finland

Two Finnish radio enthusiasts captured the signal of 1 kW Michigan AM station 1340 WCHB(AM) from a remote cabin above the Arctic Circle, some 4,200 miles away.

Jari Luoma and Timo Metso, who describe themselves as enthusiastic long-distance signal enthusiasts (DXers) in their early 60s with a four-decade passion for medium-wave listening, accomplished the feat on Feb. 7, from their remote DX cabin located in the village of Inari.

(Listen to the audio capture of WCHB from Lapland)

They reached out to Crawford Broadcasting for a verification email, and Chief Engineer Michael Kernen confirmed the recording was indeed WCHB, licensed to Royal Oak, Mich., broadcasting on its “graveyard” signal.

The equipment, including the Perseus SDR, at the northern Lapland remote DX setup, which netted 1340 WCHB(AM)

“We’ve heard from several DXers in Finland, but they usually catch the 50 kW WMUZ(AM) on 1200 kHz,” Kernen said.

The duo’s remote cabin in northern Lapland, Finland is more than 700 miles from their homes in the south and approximately 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

“The site is exceptionally quiet in terms of radio interference, thanks to its isolation from populated areas,” Luoma and Metso wrote to Kernen.

Their setup includes an over 4,000-foot-long Beverage antenna, carefully oriented to optimize reception from North and South America. They use a Perseus SDR receiver to capture the signals.

The northern lights, as seen from the remote DX cabin in Lapland

While the northern lights weren’t visible during the actual reception, the pair noted they were a stunning presence during the construction of their remote station.

The WCHB reception was far from an isolated incident for Luoma and Metso. They also successfully verified a reception of Lander, Wyo.’s KOVE(AM) last month.

John Travolta’s Old Boeing 707 Could Fly Again

After nearly a decade of anticipation, John Travolta’s former Boeing 707 is on the move to its final destination—a public display at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Aviation Museum at Australia’s Shellharbour Airport (YSHL).

The actor, pilot, and Living Legends of Aviation inductee—also a former ambassador for Qantas Airways and Bombardier’s Learjet, Challenger, and Global business aircraft—is not flying the luxury jet, which was the original plan when he donated it to HARS in 2017. Instead, a crew of three aircraft restoration specialists disassembled the aircraft at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (KBQK) in Georgia and loaded it on a ship this week.

The plane is scheduled to arrive in Australia, where it will be reassembled for display, by early May, HARS said Monday. Some components, such as the engines and tail fin, have already been shipped.

Though the aircraft is not in flying shape, Travolta said in an earlier statement that he flew a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation that HARS “restored to flying condition from almost nothing.”

Nicknamed “Connie,” it is the last remaining flying example of that model.

“The aircraft currently requires a lot of work to be restored to a safe flying state and having seen first hand the dedication and passion of people at HARS, I have no doubt this beautiful and historical aircraft will be flying again,” Travolta said.

Travolta and Aviation

Increasing Levels of Boeing 787 Radio Interference Land U.S. Airlines With $8 Million Bill

Increasing levels of radio interference have resulted in U.S. airlines being landed with an $8 million bill to fix faulty equipment on Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes after it was discovered that simple radio signals can knock out a faulty transponder on the popular widebody plane used by American, United, and Alaska Airlines.

The issue came to light after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported “multiple instances of loss of transponder for airplanes entering airspace in the presence of CW interference.”

CW interference refers to continuous-wave radio signals like Morse code and military transmitters, which could interfere with the transponder on some Boeing 787s

When Dreamliners fitted with this faulty transponder fly through areas where continuous-wave radio signals are present, there is a risk that the Mode S transponder function doesn’t ‘reply’ to radar interrogations.

Without this electronic ‘reply,’ air traffic controllers might not be able to see where the aircraft is, and the emergency Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), often described by aviation safety experts as the ”last defense against mid-air collisions,” might not generate life-saving alerts properly.

In a worst case scenario, the FAA warned that a mid-air collision could occur.

When the FAA tested the faulty transponder in areas of CW interference, they discovered it didn’t send a reply to at least 90% of ‘interrogations,’ so the agency went about ordering a fix.

To do so, the FAA was required to issue an Airworthiness Directive, although this first required the agency to request feedback from stakeholders and other interested parties.

Boeing had no objection to the draft airworthiness directive, while the Air Line Pilots Association also supported the FAA’s intervention.

Several airlines did, however, raise some concerns. Kenya Airways, for example, asked whether the suggested fix could be delayed until the root cause of the problem could be identified.

Meanwhile, United Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines raised concerns about the availability of spare parts from the transponder’s manufacturer, Collins Aerospace.

One commentator also suggested that the suggested compliance time to fix the transponder should be shortened over fears that it could be connected to 5G cell phone signals. The FAA rejected that request, explaining that the issue was not connected to 5G signals.

Although the fix applies to any Boeing 787 anywhere in the world that is fitted with the faulty transponder, the FAA only works out the cost that the airworthiness directive might have on U.S.-based carriers.

The total cost estimated by the FAA came to $7.95 million.

Airlines have up to four years to ensure that all of their Boeing 787s are fixed.

Finding Your Voice in the Clouds

You would think that any long time hams who are also pilots but who haven't been flying in a long time would still  be free of radio anxiety.  I can assure you that's not the case!

How to Soothe IFR Anxiety

For many instrument-rated pilots, especially those still early in their IFR journey, radio communication can feel like the hardest part of flying. It’s not that you don’t know what to say—it’s that when things go sideways, your brain often doesn’t deliver the words fast enough.

The cadence of air traffic control (ATC) feels relentless. The phraseology can get complex. And there’s always that voice in the back of your head whispering: Don’t mess this up.

Unlike VFR flying—where most communications are limited to basic position reports, traffic calls, and pattern entries—IFR communication introduces a steady stream of high-speed, high-consequence exchanges. Clearances, reroutes, vectors, altitude changes, approach instructions, holds, and more. They stack up quickly. Add in low visibility, unfamiliar fixes, and real-world distractions in the cockpit, and even an experienced pilot can start to feel overwhelmed if not properly prepared and organized.

The good news is that IFR radio anxiety is completely normal—and more importantly, it’s entirely fixable.

The Keys to Defeating Mic Fright

Sun ’n Fun NOTAM - Essential Pilot Info

If any are planning to fly in to Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) in April, it’s time to start studying the NOTAM. Sun ’n Fun (SNF), also known as “spring break for pilots,” is scheduled for April 13-19 in Lakeland, Florida.  I've attended many times, and it's a blast.  Study, plan and follow the rules and you'll be fine.

The 28-page NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) contains instructions for traffic flow, arrival procedures, holding, parking procedures, airport operations, departures, and frequencies. Thousands of pilots in all kinds of aircraft are expected to fly in from all over the country for the annual event.

For safe and efficient operation, it’s imperative that pilots be familiar with the procedures and have a copy of it at their fingertips when they approach.

The NOTAM contains annotated photographs of landmarks used for the VFR arrivals, as well as information as to which types of aircraft can use the approach along with details on altitudes and airspeeds.

The NOTAM also provides details on how to activate IFR flight plans or pick up VFR flight following. Pilots are encouraged to file IFR, if able, especially if the weather is marginal VFR. 

Pilots should file IFR from their departure airport and receive IFR clearance and departure release on the ground. Traffic volume always increased during the show, and noting this it’s likely that Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville Approaches may be unable to issue IFR pickup clearances due to traffic volume and complexity.

The NOTAM warns that when traffic volume is low, air traffic control (ATC) frequencies and positions may be combined. Do rock your wings for airborne acknowledgments.

Pilots are reminded not to make unnecessary radio transmissions when procedures state, “Monitor the frequency only.”