Monthly Update: April 2025

Dear friends and fellow amateur radio enthusiasts,

April 2025 has come and gone, and Kharkiv continues to stand tall despite the daily challenges brought on by the war. As we reflect on another difficult but defiant month, we want to share both current events and a glimpse into our pre-war traditions that are now memories of a different time.

The enemy's aggression shows no sign of slowing. Drone attacks and missile strikes continued throughout April, targeting infrastructure and residential areas across Kharkiv and the broader region. Yet, just like in previous months, our people endure — adapting, helping one another, and holding the line.

In the amateur radio community, April used to be a month of excitement and preparation. Before the full-scale invasion, our favorite location for Field Day contests was a beautiful and remote area in the northeast of Kharkiv Oblast — just 10 kilometers from the Russian border. It was a perfect site: elevated, quiet, with wide open fields ideal for radio operations under the sky.

Sadly, that beloved area was occupied during the first phase of the 2022 invasion and only de-occupied in September 2022. While it was a joyful moment to see our land freed, the danger remains. The fields are now riddled with mines and unexploded ordnance. For years, if not decades, it will be unsafe — if not outright impossible — to return there for our contests. The war has taken more than just land and lives. It has taken traditions, places, and peace of mind.

But our passion for amateur radio is undiminished. Whether from our homes, bunkers, or safer outdoor locations, we keep our frequencies alive. Radio waves are our voice, our resistance, and our way of staying connected with the world.

We continue raising funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces with advanced radio equipment and to assist our wounded and disabled defenders in their rehabilitation journeys. Your contributions — through our website https://ut0lwr.wixsite.com/gotdr-en — directly help brave Ukrainians who fight not only for our land but also for the values we all share: freedom, dignity, and human life.

Thank you for being with us. Thank you for remembering. And thank you for listening.

Until next month — stay safe, stay strong, and stay tuned.

73, Team UT0LWR