ARRL News

August 29, 2025

Hurricane Watch Net Marks 60 Years of Service

This Labor Day weekend, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) celebrates its 60th anniversary of providing critical communications support to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and communities impacted by hurricanes.

As Hurricane Betsy was pummeling the Caribbean on Labor Day weekend 1965, a ham radio operator started hearing calls for information from operators in the Bahamas. Jerry Murphy, K8YUW, spr...

August 29, 2025

Interview with ARRL CEO: Details on Recent Board Meeting, Huntsville Hamfest, Legislative Advocacy, and DX

August 29, 2025

Resilience Through Amateur Radio for National Preparedness Month 2025

September is National Preparedness Month, which is a good time to look at your personal, family, and community resilience levels. For 2025, the National Preparedness Month theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” 

Amateur radio is a valuable resource for communication and community service before and during times of crisis, and can be a significant factor in your home’s level of preparedness.

“Now...

August 29, 2025

ARRL Headquarters Will be Closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 1

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® Headquarters will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, in observance of the Labor Day federal holiday.

There will be no W1AW bulletin or code practice transmissions. ARRL Headquarters will reopen on Tuesday, September 2, at 8 AM EDT (1200 UTC).

Visit the ARRL Special Events Stations database to find on-the-air events and commemorations this we...

August 28, 2025

FCC Batch Filing System Unavailable

Updated 8/29/25

FCC Batch Filing System Restored

On Friday, August 29, 2025, the FCC’s Electronic Batch Filing (EBF) system was restored. This system is used by all Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) organizations to file exam sessions, individual license applications, and club license applications.

ARRL VEC staff are working diligently to clear the backlog of approximately 300 sessions and appl...

August 22, 2025

The ARRL Solar Report

On August 22, Spaceweather.com reports a fast-moving Coronal Mass
Ejection, or CME, left the Sun on August 21.  However, it is not
Earth-directed, and is predicted to strike the planet Mars.

Solar activity has decreased back to low levels with a few weak
C-class flares observed from areas located in the northeast quadrant
of the solar disk. There are currently three sunspot regions on the
solar disk ...

August 22, 2025

Lou Dietrich, N2TU, Noted DXer, Past INDEXA Chairman, Passes Away

A respected member of the DXing community has passed away. Lou Dietrich, N2TU, became a Silent Key on August 15 at the age of 78. 

Dietrich was the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International DX Association (INDEXA). He was known as a dedicated advocate for international goodwill through radio, and a passionate advocate for the mission of INDEXA. He played a pivotal role in gu...

August 22, 2025

New ARRL Book Release: Stealth Antennas for Ham Radio

Designs for Discreet Amateur Radio Operating!

Stealth Antennas for Ham Radio is full of antennas to get you on the air no matter where you live. Even radio amateurs who live with antenna restrictions or covenant limitations will find solutions in this book. Learn how to install a multiband vertical that looks like a flagpole, or how to run an end-fed random wire along your roof, so the neighbors...

August 22, 2025

The Best of Amateur Radio Honored With ARRL Awards

ARRL honors the work of amateur radio operators who grow the hobby by advancing technology used within, and the operating culture, of the Amateur Radio Service. At the Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors, hams and journalists who have covered amateur radio were honored with awards.

The ARRL Technical Innovation Award is granted annually to individuals who are licensed radio amateurs wi...

August 18, 2025

Candidates Named for ARRL Director and Vice Director Elections

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has announced that the candidates for the 2025 ARRL Division elections are now official. ARRL members will choose between four candidates for Director in the Southeastern Division, two candidates for Director in the Pacific and Southwestern Divisions, and two candidates for Vice Director in the Southwestern Division. The Directors in the Rocky Mo...

August 15, 2025

The ARRL Solar Report

Solar activity has been at low levels with mostly weak C-class flares observed from Regions 4172 and 4180.  The largest flare of the period was a C6.8/Sf at 15/1037 UTC from Region 4172.  There are 12 regions on the disk with most being simple in magnetic complexity.  Region 4172 remained the largest region on the disk and continued to decay with its magnetic field decreasing in complexity. All...

August 15, 2025

ARRL Serving its Members: NU2W’s Story

By Phil Temples, K9HI, ARRL New England Division Vice Director

The New England Division RFI Team assisted Tom Lanieri, NU2W, of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, with a significant RFI problem he’s been suffering with for many years.

Tom writes: “I moved from central New Jersey ten years ago and knew from day one that my experiences with HF and amateur radio were doomed because of the noise and th...

August 15, 2025

Hams Track Campers’ High-Altitude Balloon, Decode Images

The Kopernik Observatory put out a call last week for hams to receive and decode transmissions from a launch by its High Altitude Balloon Camp. Amateur radio delivered! Social media was abuzz with images decoded from the K2ZRO-9 transmitters. The balloon was launched from Vestal, New York, and ascended over the Catskill Mountains. A crowd gathered at W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station...

August 15, 2025

Hams Prepare for Forecasted Busy Hurricane Season

The 2025 hurricane season has been underway for almost two months and there has activity on the both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.   

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted in June there would be 13 to 18 named storms, 5 to 9 hurricanes, and 2 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or greater) for the 2025 season. This aligns with Colorado State University’s forecast ...

August 15, 2025

ARRL Foundation Awards Alexia Snethen, KM6LGG, the 2025 Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship

Alexia Snethen, KM6LGG, of Fremont, California, has been awarded The Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship by the ARRL Foundation. The award, endowed through the generosity of William R. Goldfarb, N2ITP, in memory of his parents, Albert and Dorothy Goldfarb, covers a significant portion of higher education expenses to the awardee. Snethen, who earned many college credits during high school, will be ent...