Message 30255 in LETTER.ARRL
From: CX2SA
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 26 17:05:00 Z
Newsgroups: LETTER.ARRL
Subject: The ARRL Letter - 44/38
Message-ID: <ARRL4438>
Path: N2MH4|N3HYM|W0ARP|CX2SA
R:260918/1709Z 37376@N2MH4.#SENC.NC.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
R:260918/1708Z 18342@N3HYM.#FRDK.MD.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.25
R:260918/1707Z 47460@W0ARP.#NCO.CO.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.25
R:260918/1705Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:4565 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:ARRL4438
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : LETTER@ARRL
===============
The ARRL Letter
===============
Richard Moseson, W2VU, Editor | September 17, 2026
In this Issue:
- Contest University Celebrates 100 Years of Yagis
- WRTC 2026 Organizers Honored by FOC
- Get Ready for Jamboree on the Air
- AMSAT Youth Initiative Course
- 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
Contest University Celebrates 100 Years of Yagis
------------------------------------------------
The Yagi-Uda beam antenna was invented 100 years ago, in 1926, and Contest
University (CTU) is celebrating its centennial with a live Zoom webinar this
Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 1600 UTC (noon Eastern). The free webinar,
titled "The Yagi Turns 100," will be presented by Greg Ordy, W8WWV, and will
be available online at w3lif.org/yagi. Ordy will walk through the history of
this amazing antenna that has been a mainstay of amateur radio DXing and
contesting for a century. There is no pre-registration for this event. Click
on the link (above) before 1600 Zulu on Saturday to watch. Contest
University Chairman Tim Duffy, K3LR, and Scott Jones, N3RA, will be
monitoring the chat during the presentation and will relay questions from
viewers to Ordy at the conclusion of his talk.
Duffy says the webinar will be recorded, and the recorded link will be
posted on the CTU website next week.
WRTC 2026 Organizers Honored by FOC
-----------------------------------
The First Class CW Operators' Club (FOC) has awarded its highest honor, the
Al Slater, G3FXB (SK), Memorial Award, to the World Radiosport Team
Championship 2026 (WRTC 2026) Organizing Committee in recognition of its
work not only in planning and executing last July's competition, but also in
its response to allegations of cheating by some participants.
FOC President John Warburton, G4IRN, said the award recognizes an
individual, group, or organization "whose contribution to amateur radio
reflects the qualities that Al embodied throughout his life: operating
excellence, friendship, encouragement of others, and service to the hobby."
According to a report in The Daily DX, Warburton said FOC determined that
the WRTC committee "demonstrated those qualities on an exceptional scale,
[creating] an environment that showcases the very highest standards of
amateur radio operating, rewarding skill, fairness, technical competence,
and ethical conduct." He added that "the judging committee's careful
verification work ensured that these standards were upheld and that the
results reflected the true performance of those who competed within the
rules." This was a reference to the Organizing Committee's recent
announcement that several stations, including the original winner, had been
disqualified due to rule violations discovered after the contest.
The award was presented at FOC's annual gala dinner on September 12 in
Cheshire, England.
Get Ready for Jamboree on the Air
---------------------------------
"We've got scouts, we've got a special event call sign, and we'd love as
many hams as possible - near and far - to come find us on the air." That's
how Sal Mancuso, W6SAL, is promoting Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) 2026 on
behalf of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council of Scouting America
(formerly Boy Scouts of America). JOTA is an annual worldwide event, on the
air and on the internet (as JOTI), with the goal of promoting friendship and
global citizenship via amateur radio and the internet. This year's event
will be held from October 16-18, and now is a good time for radio clubs and
individual hams to reach out to local scout units to set up JOTA experiences.
For Mancuso, it has meant getting a special event call sign - K6S - and
setting up a public demonstration station on October 17 for scouts from
throughout the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council. The council serves
10,000 youth across Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz
counties in California. "We'll have approximately seven licensed operators
of varying license classes (Technician through Extra) on hand, running HF,
VHF, and UHF simultaneously, all signing K6S," explains Mancuso. "Scouts
will be hands-on at the mic and keyboard the whole time - this is their
event, not just something they're watching . We'll be active on HF SSB and
FT8, with packet possible as well." Planned HF SSB frequencies are 7.090,
14.290, 18.140, and 28.990 MHz, but Mancuso noted that "We'll also be
posting our actual live frequencies on Spotted Hams as the day goes, since
real-world band conditions may shift our plan a bit."
More information on setting up a JOTA/JOTI operation may be found at
www.jotajoti.info. ARRL has resources to assist volunteers who are working
with scouts, including a flyer promoting Radio Communications for Scouts
(PDF) and the ARRL Radio and Wireless Technology Patch Program. For
additional ideas, visit www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-and-scouting.
AMSAT Youth Initiative Course
-----------------------------
An online course titled "Satellites and Astronomy" is now available as part
of the AMSAT Youth Initiative program's "Satellites in Space Help Us Live a
Better Life on Earth" series. This is the fifth course in the series,
produced by AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, and posted on
its youth-focused website, buzzsat.com. AMSAT says the goal of BuzzSat is to
"encourage youth to pursue careers in aerospace and communications" by
studying science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Other
courses in the series include "An Introduction to Satellite Meteorology,"
"Satellites and Climate Change," "Satellites and Pollution Control," and
"Satellites and Natural Resources."
Amateur Radio in the News
-------------------------
"Amateur Radio Club event to show interested persons about ham radio" / The
Daily American (Somerset, PA), September 15, 2026 -- Somerset County Amateur
Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
"It's Teletext, But On the Radio" / Hackaday, September 1, 2026 --
Highlights "Ceefax Station" software by Tobias Franklin, M7TJF, which
emulates Ceefax teletext service that ran on BBC television from 1974 until
2012.
ARRL Live Events and Podcasts
-----------------------------
On the Air LIVE
Join ARRL Director for Learning and Education Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, for the
September episode of OTA Live on Tuesday, September 22 at 8 PM Eastern,
where he will explore an inexpensive and practical way to evaluate the
performance of your handheld (HT) radio. Using a low-cost Software Defined
Radio (SDR) dongle, free SDR software, and free audio-editing software,
Wayne will demonstrate several tests that can help you get a better idea of
how well your HT is working. While these measurements won't replace
lab-grade testing, they can reveal useful information about your radio's
performance. Wayne will also demonstrate how to use these tools to identify
CTCSS tones and DCS codes. The livestream will air on the ARRL's learning
center, learn.arrl.org. Preregistration is required and can be accomplished
through the Learning Center.
-Date: September 22, 2026
-Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific
-Register Now | ? Previously Recorded Sessions
RRL 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
About the New QST Product Review Comparison Tool for ARRL Lab-Tested Devices
Some of the products seen in QST Product Review, including transceivers,
receivers, and amplifiers, are tested in the ARRL Lab to see how they stack
up against the manufacturer's claims. Those test results are included in the
published review to help you make more informed buying choices. ARRL's new
online interactive Comparison Tool for ARRL Lab-Tested Devices makes it even
easier to refer to, compare, and understand the test results. ARRL Digital
RF Engineer John Jobin McAuliffe, W1DRF, visits the podcast to talk about
what the tool does and how to use it to better inform your radio purchases.
More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
Announcements
-------------
ARISS, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program,
has announced an application deadline of September 30, 2026, for schools and
other educational groups in the US to schedule an amateur radio contact with
the International Space Station between January 1 and June 30, 2027.
Proposals must follow guidelines posted at
www.ariss.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-us.html. Different deadlines
apply for schools in other parts of the world.
ARDC, the Amateur Radio Digital Communications foundation, is recruiting
volunteers to serve on its teams and committees in 2027. Applications are
due by October 30, 2026. Seats are open on the group's Grants Advisory
Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, Grants Evaluation Team, Grants
Communications Team, and Conduct Review Committee. More information about
these opportunities, including eligibility requirements, time commitments,
and how to apply can be found at: www.ardc.net/volunteer-with-ardc-in-2027.
Order your certificate at america250.arrl.org
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. Review your award
progress and order your certificate and endorsements at america250.arrl.org.
09/23/2026 Vermont W1AW/1 (host W1SJ)
09/30/2026 No activations scheduled
10/07/2026 New Mexico W1AW/5 (host KA8JMW)
10/07/2026 Connecticut W1AW/1 (host W8ZY)
In Brief...
-----------
"Watch Duty" is a real-time wildfire and flood tracking alert app with
active reporting in all 50 states. ARRL Idaho Assistant Section Manager Dan
Marler, K7REX, brought it to our attention, along with a video explaining
how it works that's posted to the RATPAC YouTube channel. (RATPAC is the
Radio Amateur Training Planning and Activities Committee.) For more
information on the free Watch Duty app, visit watchduty.org.
at the Kansas City DX Club's Dayton hospitality suite, became a Silent Key
on September 8, 2026, at age 81. Woirhaye was a past president of the Kansas
City DX Club and had been a ham for 67 years, according to a report in The
Daily DX. A longtime DXer, he had 334/348 (current/total) confirmed entities
in the ARRL DXCC Mixed standings.
Open Positions at ARRL
Come join the headquarters staff of ARRL The National Association for
following positions:
Technical Editor
RFI Lab Engineer
Public Relations and Outreach Manager
Advertising Sales 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
---------------------
ARRL On the Air
Solar image on September 17, 2026 [Photo courtesy NOAA Space Weather
Prediction Center]
Solar flare activity is expected to remain at very low levels, with a chance
for isolated C-class flares through September 19, according to NOAA's Space
Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). Solar wind speed was steady near 530 km/s,
and negative polarity CH HSS (coronal hole high-speed stream) effects are
anticipated to persist through September 18, with additional enhancements
likely today due to flanking influences from CMEs (coronal mass ejections)
that departed the Sun on September 13 and 14. Geomagnetic activity is
expected to reach active to G1 (minor) storm levels today due to combined CH
and CME influences. Unsettled to active conditions are likely on September
18-19 as enhancements wane.
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre reports that there are
currently three numbered sunspot regions on the solar disk, and that all
three are stable. No flares are expected over the next several days. The
global HF propagation forecast for middle latitudes is normal to fair today,
followed by normal propagation in the days that follow.
Predicted 10.7-centimeter radio flux from the SWPC: Sep 17, 93; Sep 18-19,
90; Sep 20, 95; Sep 21, 100; Sep 22, 110; Sep 23, 105.
Send your tips, questions, or comments to w2vu@xxxx.xxx.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...," and check out the
Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable propagation
charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
undefined
Just Ahead in Radiosport
------------------------
September 17 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest - NA (digital)
September 17 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)
September 17 -- BCC QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 17 - 18 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
September 19 - 21 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest, CW (CW)
September 19 - 20 -- Iowa QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- Texas QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 -- QRP Afield (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 -- Wisconsin Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- New Hampshire QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- Washington State Salmon Run (CW, phone)
September 19 -- Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
September 20 -- North American Sprint, RTTY (digital)
September 20 -- BARTG Sprint PSK63 Contest (digital)
September 20 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)
September 20 - 21 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
September 21 - 22 -- 144 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
September 23 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
September 26 -- Bill Windle QSO Party (CW)
September 26 - 27 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest, RTTY (digital)
September 26 - 27 -- YU DX Contest (CW, phone)
September 26 - 27 -- Maine QSO Party (CW, phone)
September 26 - 27 -- AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party (phone)
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.
September 26 | Red River Radio Amateurs Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Minnesota
State Convention, Moorhead, Minnesota
October 3 | Third Annual Micro Expo, hosting the ARRL Santa Barbara Section
Convention, Camarillo, California
October 3 | Wichita Area Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Kansas Section
Convention, Wichita, Kansas
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 11 | Nutmeg Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Connecticut State Convention,
Meriden, Connecticut
October 11 | HamFest, hosting the ARRL Southern New Jersey Section
Convention, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
October 16 - 18 | Pacificon, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention,
San Ramon, California
October 24 | ARRL Day in the Park, hosting the ARRL Mississippi Section
Convention, Ridgeland, Mississippi.
October 30 - 31 | Stone Mountain Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Georgia State
Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia.
November 7 | Superstition ARC Superfest, hosting the ARRL Arizona State
Convention, Mesa, Arizona
November 14 | Montgomery Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Alabama State Convention,
Montgomery, Alabama
Have News for ARRL?
Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to news@xxxx.xxx.
-- Richard Moseson, W2VU, ARRL News Editor
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* CX2SA <> 1978-2026 <> Salto, Uruguay *
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