ARRL news

The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) Question Pool Committee (QPC) has released errata for the new 2024 - 2028 Element 4 Extra Class Question Pool, which goes into effect on July 1. The errata includes minor question changes, the removal of one question, and one modified graphic. These updates are reflected in the new downloadable files, dated January 31, 2024. The...

Prolific DXpedition leader, ARRL Maxim Society member, and former Chair of the ARRL DX Advisory Committee, Robert C. “Bob” Allphin, Jr., K4UEE, has become a Silent Key. Allphin passed on February 10 at the age of 79. His early life as the son of a United States Air Force (USAF) officer sent him to many corners of the globe. That set the tenor for a life in amateur radio spent operating from far...

On January 30, 2024, US Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced S.3690, the Senate companion bill to H.R.4006, introduced last June. Both bills reflect the Congressional campaign efforts by ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® to eliminate homeowner association land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operato...

Due to anticipated severe winter weather, ARRL’s administrative building in Newington, Connecticut, will be closed on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, for the safety of our staff. The Headquarters lobby & store, and W1AW will be closed to visitors on Tuesday. There will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice. 

ARRL will continue to serve members during normal business hours on Tuesday. Staff from acro...

World Radio Day 2024 will be on February 13, and this year's theme is, "A Century Informing, Entertaining and Educating."

World Radio Day was first celebrated in 2012, following its declaration by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference. It was subsequently adopted as an International Day by the United Nations General Assembly. Amateur rad...

Staten Island Technical High School is the first New York City school to receive a grant from ARRL.

ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, said ARRL is working with the school in several ways. "We are working with them to build and equip an amateur radio station, to test and license students, and to put [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)] kits in the cl...

Southern California continues to feel the effects of a significant rain event that began last week, bringing record rainfall, landslides, and hurricane-strength winds. The heavy rain is the result of two atmospheric rivers, referred to as "Pineapple Expresses" because of their origins near Hawaii. Nearly half a year's worth of rain has fallen in two days. Since Sunday, February 4, areas in Los ...

Over the recent reporting week, February 1-7, ten new sunspot groups
emerged, five on February 1, one on February 2, another on February
3, two on February 5, and one more on February 7. On February 8, two
more emerged.

Sunspot numbers and solar flux rose, and geomagnetic numbers were
quiet.

Average daily sunspot number increased from 71.8 to 142.3, and
average daily solar flux from 145.4 to 165.5.

Geo...

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully landed their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on January 19, 2024. Just before touchdown, SLIM released two small lunar surface probes, LEV-1 and LEV-2.

LEV-2 collects data while moving on the lunar surface, and LEV-1 receives the data.

The JAXA Ham Radio Club (JHRC), JQ1ZVI, secured amateur radio license JS1YMG for LEV-1, which...

Newly licensed ham Charlie Hartley, KF0OOP, 18, is one of ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® newest members. He's majoring in sound engineering at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and is an accomplished musician, playing both bass guitar and the upright string bass. Ham radio, live sound, and music run in his blood; he's the grandson of Bob Heil, K9EID.

Charlie had been ...

The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, has received a generous donation of equipment from the Heil Ham Radio division of Heil Sound.

The company's founder, Bob Heil, K9EID, is a pioneering audio engineer and avid radio amateur. At his direction, the company donated four Heil Pro Set Elite HC-6 headsets, three Heil Pro Set 3 stereo headphones...

"ASWFC GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING ISSUED AT 0248 UTC/02 FEBRUARY 2024 BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE.

"A CME was observed from 01/0800 UT. This CME is expected to pass
mostly above the Earth, however a glancing blow is possible either
late UT day 03-Feb or early UT day 04-Feb to cause possible G1-G2
geomagnetic storming. A coronal hole wind stream may also contribute
to enha...

The ARRL Foundation is now accepting grant applications from amateur radio organizations for eligible amateur radio-related projects and initiatives, particularly those focused on educating, licensing, and supporting amateur radio activities, to grow amateur radio's future, youth-based projects and initiatives are especially encouraged.

The ARRL Foundation grants program accepts proposals on a c...

February 8, 2024, marks the 61st anniversary of the YL System, now known as the YL International Single Side-band System (YLISSB), founded by Vera Mayree Tallman, K4ICA (SK), in 1963.  

Tallman received her first license in 1956 and later earned her General-class license. Though the system's name includes "YL," the amateur radio term for "young lady," membership is open to both women and men. YL...

ARRL Member and active radio amateur Dr. Philip Erickson, W1PJE, is the new director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Haystack Observatory.

The prestigious scientific appointment is the continuation of a radio interest that began in his youth. "I started as a shortwave listener in the mid-1970's as a middle school student. So, in some sense, I was always fooling with antennas i...

Just four new sunspot groups emerged this reporting week, January
18-24, one on each day, January 18-21.

But it looks like we may see flares, CMEs and geomagnetic storms
over the next few days. Spaceweather.com identified sunspot
group AR3561 as "hyperactive."

Sunspot numbers and solar flux declined, and geomagnetic indicators
rose, but only slightly.

Average daily sunspot number dropped from 167.3 to...