ARRL news

The second part of the ARRL November Sweepstakes is for phone contacts, and it begins Saturday, November 18 at 2100 UTC, and runs through Monday, November 20 at 0259 UTC.

The contest objective is to support amateur self-training in radiocommunications, including improving amateur operating skills, conducting technical investigations, and intercommunicating with other amateurs. Amateur stations i...

"ASWFC GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING ISSUED AT 2310 UTC/09 NOVEMBER 2023 BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE:

"G1-G2 geomagnetic conditions are expected over 11-12 Nov, with a
slight chance of G3 due to the anticipated arrival of a halo CME
first observed 09-Nov. Conditions are expected to ease to background
levels on 13-Nov."

A great, big geomagnetic storm on Sunday disrupted the s...

ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® reports that earlier today, the FCC Commissioners unanimously voted to amend the Amateur Radio Service rules to replace the baud rate limit on the Amateur HF bands with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit to permit greater flexibility in data communications.

“The Federal Communications Commission today adopted new rules to incentivize innovation and experi...

W1AW will be closed to visitors on Thursday, November 16 for building maintenance. The station's regular operating schedule, including code practice and bulletins, will not be affected. W1AW will reopen on Friday, November 17 at 8:00 am Eastern time.

On November 4, 2023, Al Ward's, W5LUA, 38-year quest to contact all 50 states on the 33-centimeter band ended when he received the first-ever Worked All States (WAS) certificate for (902 - 928 MHz). Ward started collecting states on the band shortly after it was opened in 1985.

"I am extremely grateful to Peter Van Horne, KA6U, for his EME [Earth-moon-Earth] efforts. I was able to work Wisconsin...

Section Manager of the ARRL Pacific Section Joe Speroni, AH0A, has retired from the position. Speroni served in the role for 7 years. He was active with ARRL in a variety of positions dating back to the creation of the Volunteer Examiner program in 1984. He has also been an instructor and Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC). His contributions to emergency communications and management in the Hawa...

ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023 in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice that day. ARRL Headquarters will reopen on Monday, November 13, 2023 at 8:00 am Eastern time. 

We are grateful for the sacrifices and service of Veterans. 

"GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING ISSUED AT 2333 UTC on 02 NOVEMBER 2023 BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE.

"A possible glancing impact from a CME first observed on 31-Oct
combined with a glancing impact from a CME first observed on 2-Nov
is expected to produce a chance of G1 geomagnetic activity on 4-Nov
and G0-G1 activity on 5-Nov."

Seven new sunspot groups emerged in this reportin...

Special event stations will offer many opportunities for amateur radio operators to honor Veterans and make contacts for Veterans Day.

The K1USN Radio Club will be on the air on Saturday, November 11, 2023, to show their appreciation for those who have served in the military. The club station is located at 85 Quincy Avenue in Braintree, Massachusetts. K1USN will be on the HF bands on SSB, CW, an...

Editor's Note:

Tuolumne County Amateur Radio and Electronics Society (TCARES) members Rich Combs, KN6HSR; Ned Sudduth, K6NED, and Toni Sudduth, K6TNI reported that the October 2023 Great California ShakeOut exercise was an "outstanding" success. Here is their story as reported to ARRL News:

"This is a drill. Drop! Cover! Hold on!" was the mantra for the Great ShakeOut exercise on October 19, 2023...

Radio Amateurs are providing communication services to and from the affected areas in and around Acapulco, Mexico.

On the morning of Wednesday, October 25, 165 mile-per-hour winds from Hurricane Otis knocked out all communications and unleashed a nightmare scenario in Acapulco.  

The area is home to roughly 800,000 people.  

Radio Club Queretaro member Ruben Navarrete Galvan, XE1EC, told ARRL News...

The deadline to file comments on the 60-meter band proposal has been extended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to November 28, 2023. Replies to comments will be due December 28, 2023. The public comment period was originally to close October 30, 2023.

ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® strongly encourages all amateurs to submit comments expressing support to the FCC ...

ARRL Education and Learning Manager, and IARU Region 2 Youth Coordinator, Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, gave the keynote address at the 2023 ARRL Pacific Division Ham Radio Convention, also known as Pacificon.

Goodgame was a public-school teacher for 21 years. He carries his experience of bringing ham radio into the classroom into his role at ARRL. "It is safe to say I've learned a thing or two about r...

 ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® welcomes news of a scheduled vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider removing symbol rate restrictions that restrict digital modes, foster inefficient spectrum use, and dampen incentives for innovation.

In the draft Commission decision, the FCC would replace the current HF restrictions with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit. The ...

The recent solar activity decline continues. Weekly average daily
sunspot numbers starting with Propagation Forecast bulletin ARLP039
on September 21 were 170.6, 128.6, 144.1, 89.4, and 41.9 for this
week.

Weekly average daily solar flux for the same period was 168.8,
155.6, 159.1, 145.1 and 123.5.

On October 25 Spaceweather.com noted "Solar Cycle 25 roared to life
in 2021-23, dashing predictions of a...

Amateur Radio has been activated to serve during Hurricane Otis. In an e-mail, WX4NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, wrote:

WX4NHC has been activated today Wednesday October 25th for Hurricane Otis in the east Pacific affecting Mexico. 

Playing chess using amateur radio? The concept may have begun in 1912 when a group of college students from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) wanted to challenge chess players at The Ohio State University (OSU). Though the official origin is still debated, clippings from a 1912 issue of The Case Tech, one of CWRU's former student newspapers, reveal that the challenge was made when the CWRU...

Sunspot activity dropped dramatically this week, with only two new
sunspot groups emerging, on October 14 and 16.

Compared to last week, the average daily sunspot number slipped from
144.1 to 89.4, and average daily solar flux from 159.1 to 145.1.

Average daily planetary A index changed from 7.6 to 6.4, and average
daily middle latitude A index from 8.3 to 5.

Predicted solar flux is 128 and 130 Octob...

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is activating for Hurricanes Tammy and Norma. In an e-mail sent on the morning of Friday, October 20, 2023, HWN Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, wrote: 

This morning, we have 2 Hurricanes threatening landfall.  

• In the Atlantic, we have Tammy which strengthened into a Cat 1 Hurricane overnight. 
• In the Eastern Pacific, we have Hurricane Norma. Once a Cat 4 Hurricane...

ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® has a new book to help radio amateurs enjoy one of the fastest growing communities within the hobby. Participants in Parks on the Air® (POTA) have built one of the most vibrant on-air communities in contemporary ham radio. Park hunters comb the airwaves for activators operating from the lawns of sprawling public mansions, stoops at urban histori...