Message 26976 in LETTER.ARRL
From: CX2SA
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 26 12:11:00 Z
Newsgroups: LETTER.ARRL
Subject: The ARRL Letter - 44/31
Message-ID: <ARRL4431>
Path: N2MH4|N3HYM|W0ARP|CX2SA
R:260731/1216Z 34662@N2MH4.#SENC.NC.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
R:260731/1215Z 11572@N3HYM.#FRDK.MD.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.25
R:260731/1213Z 44055@W0ARP.#NCO.CO.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.25
R:260731/1211Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:2480 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:ARRL4431
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : LETTER@ARRL
===============
The ARRL Letter
===============
John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, Editor | July 30, 2026
In this Issue:
- ARRL Board Reviews and Approves Potential Alabama Section Move to the Delta
- Division; Designates...
- Former ARRL Maine Section Manager "Retooling"
- CQ, CQ, CQ Cats and Dogs!
- Club Update Reminder
- Amateur Radio in the News
- ARRL Live Events and Podcasts
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The ARRL Solar Report
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Conventions and Major Events
Register now for the 2026 ARRL National Convention hosted by the Huntsville
Hamfest, August 21 - 23.
NEW: Agendas for ARRL Training Tracks are available (PDF).
Step 1
Register for the National Convention Program on Friday, August 21.
Register Now
Step 2
Get your Huntsville Hamfest tickets for Saturday & Sunday, August 22 - 23.
Hamfest Tickets
ARRL Board Reviews and Approves Potential Alabama Section Move to the Delta
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Division; Designates Pacificon as 2028 National Convention Host
The ARRL Board of Directors met in Windsor, Connecticut, for its Second
Meeting on Friday, July 17, 2026. A Member Bulletin was emailed to all ARRL
members and included these highlights:
The Herbert V. Akerberg Award for Outstanding Service to Emergency
groups or individuals to providing emergency communication services and
significant contributions to helping their fellow citizens during times of
crisis. The award honors Herbert V. Akerberg, who, at just 15 years old,
used his amateur radio station to provide critical communications during the
1913 Columbus, Ohio, flood, helping establish the legacy of amateur radio
emergency communications.
To encourage greater participation by Affiliated Clubs in the ARRL Club
Commission Program, a new online membership form will be created to allow
new and renewing members to select a participating club to receive credit
for their ARRL membership. The motion also increases the Club Commission for
ARRL membership renewals from $5 to $10 each. Affiliated Clubs already earn
a $20 commission for each new ARRL Standard membership they sign.
The Board approved a proposal calling for the CEO to survey members in the
Southeastern and Delta Divisions to gauge support for moving the Alabama
Section into the Delta Division. Members in the Alabama Section will receive
their survey invitation by postal mail to ensure broad participation. The
change has been approved for February 1, 2027, pending completion of the
survey and without major exceptions.
The Board approved revisions to the ARRL Amateur Radio Legal Defense &
Assistance Committee (ARLDAC) guidelines, including increasing funding
limits to better reflect current legal costs while continuing to support
this important member benefit. ARLDAC has provided legal assistance to
multiple amateurs in the nature of research and legal briefs/opinions
written by counsel, up to and including direct financial support to fund
legal costs in select situations.
The Board authorized Headquarters staff to work with the Mount Diablo
Amateur Radio Club of California to host the ARRL National Convention in
conjunction with Pacificon in October 2028. Pacificon annually hosts the
ARRL Pacific Division Convention in San Ramon, California.
Read all the meeting highlights in the Member Bulletin. The complete minutes
of the 2026 Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors will be available
soon on the ARRL website.
Former ARRL Maine Section Manager "Retooling"
---------------------------------------------
Phil Duggan, N1EP, at his home shack testing new radios. [Photo courtesy
Phil Duggan, N1EP]
On July 1, 2026, ARRL Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, announced he
was retiring and... retooling!
So, after almost a month...how's that retooling going?
"Well, I'm trying to shed some, not all, but some of my ham radio
responsibilities," he told The ARRL Letter. "It helps to make way for new
leadership and new ideas."
Duggan said his time now is filled with many visits from family, working on
computer programming, traveling, and trying new radios. He served as ARRL
Maine Section Manager from December 2021 through June 2026. Would there be a
"retry" after the retooling is completed? "Well, I might give it another
try...and I wouldn't rule it out," he added.
For 30 years, Duggan has served as a club president, county ARES Emergency
Coordinator, Maine Section Emergency Coordinator, and net control station
for NTS and ARES nets.
Duggan has also influenced and supported Maine's YLs.
"As Maine's ARRL Section Manager, Phil officially established an Assistant
Section Manager position to promote and support Maine's YLs and women
interested in amateur radio," said Joan Hildreth, W1DLC, Director of the
Women Radio Operators of Maine. "Phil has been available to the Women Radio
Operators of Maine group and has supported the women's newly created
Facebook page."
A veteran, he retired from the U.S. Navy in 1996 as a Chief Petty Officer,
after which he began to pursue his longtime interest in amateur radio and
electronics.
Special thanks to Marion Mason, W1GRL, for information included in this
story. Read Mason's full story, "Phil N1EP: Retiring to Retool."
CQ, CQ, CQ Cats and Dogs!
-------------------------
During August, QSOs could sound like cats and dogs!
An international group of operators from Latvia, the United Kingdom, the
United States, Netherlands, India, and Germany, will be on the air
throughout the month in a mutual celebration of International Cat Day and
International Dog Day. Officially, International Dog Day (in the US,
National Dog Day) is August 26 every year. International Cat Day is August 8.
The combined special event stations will be active August 1 - 31, 2026 to
call attention to the needs of abandoned, abused and homeless pets around
the world.
operating throughout the country at different times. Additional dog-station
be on the HF bands using CW and SSB.
Two websites with additional information are dogdayradio.org and
catdayradio.org and the main landing page, hamlog.online/iddicd2026, will
give hunters for both events a chance to claim their awards as they earn
them and to see who is currently on the air.
Club Update Reminder
--------------------
In an effort to maintain updated ARRL Affiliated Club records, we are urging
radio clubs to complete the required annual Affiliated Club review now. The
annual review requires nothing more than reviewing club information such as
the club email addresses and contact information. Clubs should also test
their listed email to ensure it is accurate and working. We often hear from
prospective members, and particularly new hams, who cite instances of
inaccurate club information. Clubs that do not complete an annual review
will be moved to an inactive status. Information on how to complete your
club update is found at www.arrl.org/club-update, and clubs requiring
additional assistance can email clubs@xxxx.xxx. ARRL extends our thanks to
so many radio clubs who have gone the extra mile during this ARRL Year of
the Club!
Amateur Radio in the News
-------------------------
"When all else fails, ham radio can help" / Butler Eagle (Pennsylvania) July
28, 2026 -- The Butler County Amateur Radio Public Service Group
ARRL Live Events and Podcasts
-----------------------------
On the Air LIVE
What if you need to send a message from a disaster area, but all forms of
communication are down? The ARRL National Traffic System could be your tool
to get the message out. Join ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF,
and learn about the history of the National Traffic System, how it works,
and how you can become a regular user and be prepared to send and relay
traffic. The livestream will air on the ARRL's learning center,
learn.arrl.org, August 25th at 8 PM Eastern. Preregistration is required and
can be accomplished through the Learning Center.
Date: August 25, 2026
Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific
Register Now | ? Previously Recorded Sessions
ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a
summary of the week's top news stories in the world of amateur radio and
ARRL, along with interviews and other features. More info | Listen on
Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
ARRL On the Air
On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
A Passion for POTA
Evan McPartland, KC2NRB, visits the podcast to talk about how he got hooked
on Parks on the Air operating. Familiarly known as POTA, this popular
program involves setting up temporary stations in parks that have a specific
alphanumeric POTA designator. Evan expands on information shared in his
July/August 2026 On the Air article "Rediscovering Ham Radio Through POTA,"
and offers information on how to join the POTA fun. More info | Listen on
Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
Announcements
-------------
The following America250 W1AW Portable Activations begin 0000z on
Wednesdays, and end 2359z on Tuesdays (7 days total for each activation).
See the complete schedule at www.arrl.org/america250-was.
07/29/2026 Wyoming W1AW/7 (host WY7AA)
08/05/2026 New Jersey W1AW/2 (NP4H)
08/05/2026 Louisiana W1AW/5 (host N5YS)
Amateur radio operators will be busy in August chasing QSOs from
lighthouses...near and far! US National Lighthouse Day, unofficially held on
August 7, is celebrated to honor the historic and cultural significance of
lighthouses across the United States. This year the event will be August 8 -
9. International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW) is normally held on the
3rd full weekend in August and will be held August 15 - 16. And in Britain,
the Association of Lighthouse Keepers, ALK, conducts International
Lighthouse Heritage Weekend on the same weekend as the ILLW.
Hams will be operating special event stations near, and in, lighthouses for
both events. Here are a few:
August 8 -9, 2026, The North Ottawa Amateur Radio Club (NOARC) Youth
Lighthouse Activation Aug 8 - 9, 1300Z-0200Z, W8CSO, Grand Haven, Michigan
will be active on 14.060,14.237, 7.225, and 28.320 MHz.
The Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club, W2GSB, will be active at the
lighthouse using CW, SSB, and digital modes on 14.245, 28.500, 21.325, and
7.275 MHz.
August 15 -16, 1200z to 2030z, the Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club in New
Jersey, will activate special event station W2L from the Stony Point
Lighthouse on the Hudson River in New York State, for both International
Lighthouse Lightship Weekend and the 200th anniversary of the Stony Point
Lighthouse.
August 15, 1400Z-2100Z, W8GNM/8, Port Clinton Lighthouse Activation, Port
Clinton, Ohio, using 7.225, 14.313, 21.350, and 28.600 MHz.
In Brief...
-----------
The 2026 National Scout Jamboree is under way at the Summit Bechtel Reserve
in West Virginia until July 31. At this event, held every four years, Scouts
from across the country gather for high-adventure activities,
skill-building, community...and amateur radio! During the Jamboree, licensed
Scouts are active using demonstration station K2BSA. The station is
operating on local VHF and UHF frequencies and on-site repeaters in both FM
and digital modes. The K2BSA nightly net is at 1930 on the 2-meter FM
repeater. All of the frequencies and additional information can be found
here: 2026 National Scout Jamboree - On Site Operating Frequencies | K2BSA
Amateur Radio Association.
John E. Portune, W6NBC, of Santa Maria, California, passed away on July 6,
2026. He was 88 years old. Portune, a prolific author and antenna designer,
was a longtime member of ARRL and contributor to QST and On the Air
magazine. He won the QST Cover Plaque Award several times, and in recent
years had become the primary contributor to the "Project Build" feature in
On the Air magazine, sometimes on his own, and sometimes with his writing
partner Jim Bailey, W6OEK. Portune was a member of the Satellite Amateur
Radio Club, W6AB, in California. "We miss John dearly," said club president
Roy Dugger, KD6R. "From the regular breakfast gatherings with fellow hams to
his monthly projects and presentations on anything from antenna systems to
steam calliopes, he brought us along on his continual journey of learning
and joy of sharing. The club (thank you Jim, W6OEK) continues to sponsor his
website to preserve his legacy at www.w6nbc.com." Portune is survived by his
wife Rebecca Humes, KF6OEB, three children and 12 grandchildren.
The ARRL Teachers Institute (TI) welcomed participants in the TI Space
Communications and Radio Astronomy session, instructed by Education
Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, at ARRL Headquarters in Connecticut. The
teachers learned how to make contacts via amateur radio FM and linear
satellites, as well as the International Space Station. They captured
weather satellite imagery directly from NOAA satellites, and built a radio
astronomy system consisting of a dipole antenna array and a software defined
radio capable of receiving radio signals from the sun and Jupiter. They were
also given a tour of the MIT Haystack Observatory, an interdisciplinary
radio science research center in Westford, Massachusetts. [Photo left] (left
to right) Dawn Sudbury, KR4HKP, North Port, Florida; Jackie Blumer, KC9LEH,
Sorento, Illinois; Dana Serfass, KL5UM, Eagle River, Alaska; Charnell Long,
KR4EPT, Greensboro, North Carolina; Scott Valenta, W9DU, Berkeley, Illinois;
Kay Orr, K5ORR, Rockwall, Texas; John Geimer, K4GEI, Sarasota, Florida;
Leslie Reese, KI5ISS, Terrell, Texas; Angela Metzger, KE2DRJ, Vineland, New
Jersey, instructor Wayne Greene, KB4DSF. [Gregory Sulla, KC1YNI, photos]
Open Positions at ARRL
Come join the headquarters staff of ARRL The National Association for
following positions:
Membership Manager
Technical Editor
RFI Lab Engineer
Public Relations and Outreach Manager
Education and Learning Manager
Full details may be found on the ARRL HR web page at www.arrl.org/careers.
ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.
The ARRL Solar Report
---------------------
Solar disk image courtesy of NASA/SDO, July 30, 2026
ARRL Solar Report for July 30, 2026
Solar activity has remained at low levels. Region 4494 exhibited decay in
its trailing spots as its flare activity subsided. Region 4498 rotated into
better viewing positioning, revealing mixed polarity just behind its large
leading spot, and was responsible for a handful of low-level C-class flares.
Region 4499 underwent evolution, gaining additional spots and producing a
low-level C-class flare. Region 4501 rapidly emerged this period, developed
rudimentary penumbra on its leading and trailing spots, produced a low-level
C-class flare and was thus subsequently numbered. The remaining numbered
active regions were unremarkable in relation.
No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery.
Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for M-class flares
(R1-R2, minor-moderate) through August 1.
Solar wind parameters were at nominal levels. Solar wind speeds roughly
ranged from 310 km/s to 401 km/s. A disturbed solar wind environment will
likely return July 30 due to the prospect of combined positive polarity
coronal high speed stream (CH HSS) effects and coronal mass ejection (CME)
arrivals from events that left the Sun on July 26 - 27. An additional
disturbance is likely on August 1 with the arrival of an additional CME that
left the Sun late on July 27.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: July 30, 137; July 31, 132; August 1, 137; August
2, 131; August 3, 141; August 4, 127; August 5; 128
Predicted sunspots: July 30, 100; July 31, 93; August 1, 101; August 2, 93;
August 3, 107; August 4, 88; August 5, 110
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read A Quick Guide to HF Propagation Using Solar
Indices, and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio
website.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
------------------------
August 1 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)
August 1 - 2 -- North American QSO Party (CW)
August 1 - 2 -- ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest (CW, phone, digital)
August 2 -- SARL HF Phone Contest (phone)
August 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
August 6 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest-NA (digital)
August 6 - 7 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
August 6 -- NRAU 10m Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
August 6 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
August 8 - 9 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
August 8 - 9 -- WAE DX Contest (CW)
August 8 - 9 -- YB Bekasi Merdeka Contest (CW, phone)
August 8 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
August 8 -- Kentucky State Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
August 8 - 9 -- Maryland-DC QSO Party (CW, phone)
August 9 -- SARL HF Digital Contest (digital)
Remember to visit the ARRL Contest Calendar for more events and information.
Upcoming ARRL Conventions and Major Events
------------------------------------------
ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions (next 60 days)
Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database at www.arrl.org/hamfests to
find events in your area.
August 1 | ARRL Maine State Convention, Augusta, Maine
August 7 - 8 | Shreveport-Bossier Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Delta Division
Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana
August 13 - 16 | Northeast HamXposition, hosting the ARRL New England
Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts
August 15 | Cincinnati Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division
Convention, Owensville, Ohio
August 21 - 23 | Huntsville Hamfest, hosting the 2026 ARRL National
Convention, Huntsville, Alabama
August 28 - 30 | Wyoming HamCon, hosting the ARRL Rocky Mountain Division
Convention, Casper, Wyoming
September 4 - 5 | Shelby Hamfest, hosting the ARRL North Carolina State
Convention, Shelby, North Carolina
Save the Date
Join ARRL at these Division Conventions and other major events throughout
the year. Beginning in the fourth quarter, this list will also include
significant events scheduled for the following year.
October 9 - 10 | SPARK-CON 2026, hosting the ARRL Midwest Division
Convention, Sedalia, Missouri
October 10 | North Star Radio Convention, hosting the ARRL Dakota Division
Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
October 16 - 18 | Pacificon, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention,
San Ramon, California
Have News for ARRL?
Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to news@xxxx.xxx.
-- John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor
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QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published bimonthly,
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of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals.
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* CX2SA <> 1978-2026 <> Salto, Uruguay *
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