DON: The third weekend in August is the culminaton of a lot of what Amateur Radio Newsline does besides produce a weekly newscast. It's the Huntsville Hamfest and our Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year award presentation. Bill was a huge believer in promoting youth in amateur radio and created the award back in 1986, 40 years ago now, to promote and celebrate the amazing things youth are doing in and with the hobby. Our 2026 recipient, Carsten Glasbrener KQ4SJM is a perfect reflection of that. Licensed at age 11, now 14 and a General, Carsten has over 100 satellite contacts and is an AMSAT ambassador, thanks in large part to his father, Drew Glasbrenner KO4MA, AMSAT-NA president.

Here are Carsten's remarks:

"Thank you. Ever since a young age I've always been around radios with my dad, couldn't have done it without him. I also want to thank Mark Hammond N8MH for nominating me for the award. Really grateful for everything."

Next up is John Kruk N9UPC of Yaesu USA:

"When I started with Yaesu back in 2017 Dennis Motschenbacher K7BV, who is now a Silent Key, said one of the most important things about the Huntsville Hamfest was ham radio youth on there, and each year we did this award and Yaesu USA is always proud to be part of it. This year and each year we do we try to find out what would be a good donation to, or a prize I should say for the winner of it and by default, your dad helped us pick this one out. We are more than happy to give him an FTM-510D mobile radio, which has the ability to work satellites. We thought how fitting to do that. On behalf of Yaesu USA, congratulations and here's your gift."

In addition to the radio, Heil Ham Radio presented Carsten a BM-17 dual sided headset, the proper Yaesu adapter for the headset and a foot switch. We could not do this without our friends at Yaesu USA and Heil Ham Radio.

Now we rest until March 2027 when the nominating period opens for next year. Until then, congratulations to Carsten, you're now part of the Newsline family, and we could not be more proud.

I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.