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ARRL Letter Issue



96

The ARRL Letter for September 24, 2026



Richard Moseson, W2VU, Editor | September 24, 2026ARRL Homepage

ARRL Homepage

In this Issue:FCC and HHS Initiate New Proceedings on RF ExposureMorse
Code DetectivesRemembering Four Silent KeysWill RADE Be the Next
SSB?Amateur Radio in the NewsARRL Live Events and
PodcastsAnnouncementsIn Brief...The ARRL Solar ReportJust Ahead in
RadiosportUpcoming ARRL Conventions and Major Events      FCC and HHS
Initiate New Proceedings on RF ExposureARRL is following two new federal
proceedings concerning radio frequency (RF) exposure. On September 17,
2026, the FCC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
initiated parallel comment periods on RF safety issues. Neither inquiry
changes the current FCC RF exposure rules that apply to all radio
amateurs but could lead to changes in later proceedings if the current
rules are found to be deficient.The FCCs Public Notice is narrowly
focused on specific RF exposure issues remanded to the Commission in
2021 by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The Commission emphasizes that it
will give particular weight to submissions reflecting specialized
expertise in health and safety matters. The HHS Request for Information
(see also HHS press release) broadly seeks evidence and information
concerning the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields
(EMFs), RF radiation, and wireless technologies. Comments on the HHS
inquiry are due October 21, with comments on the FCC issues due by
October 22.The current rules governing RF exposure took effect on May 3,
2021, and are discussed in the September 2021 and May 2023 issues of
QST.  The ARRL website features additional information, including an RF
exposure calculator, the RF Safety section from the 100th Edition of The
ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, an explanatory video, FAQs, and
more. ARRL has made these resources available to everyone in the amateur
radio community without regard to membership. ARRL urges all licensees
to stay compliant and safe.

Morse Code Detectives

The California Historical Radio Society is teaming up with the Girl
Scouts of Northern California to offer a series of Junior Detective
badge workshops focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts
and Math) topics. The first one, coming up on October 3, will use Morse
code as the basis for a program on coded communications. According to
the groups website, Juniors will learn how detectives and investigators
use coded communication by exploring the history of Morse code and
creating a custom beaded bracelet or keychain that spells out a secret
message in dots and dashes. This hands-on activity strengthens
observation, pattern recognition, and problem-solving skills while
introducing participants to one of historys earliest wireless
communication systems. Juniors will earn and receive the Detective badge
in this workshop. Junior Girl Scouts are in grades 4 and 5. The
California Historical Radio Society is a museum and preservation
organization focused on radio and broadcasting. The organizations
Director of Marketing and Partnerships, Michael Toedman, says many of
the groups 800-plus members are ham radio operators and that the museum
includes an active ham shack and club station, W6CF. That is the call
sign of longtime ARRL Pacific Division Director Jim Maxwell (SK), whose
wife, Trudy, donated Jims station and library to the society following
his passing.

Girl Scout Junior Detective badge [From www.girlscoutshop.com]

Remembering Four Silent KeysWe are saddened to report this week on the
passing of four well-known amateurs, including two members of the
extended ARRL family. Longtime ARRL Rhode Island Section Manager Robert
George Bob Beaudet, W1YRC, became a Silent Key on September 10, 2026, at
age 88. An ARRL Life Member, Gold-Level Diamond Club member, and Maxim
Society member in the President Class, Beaudet served as Rhode Island
Section Manager from 2002 to 2023. In 2020, the ARRL Board of Directors
recognized his contributions to the Field Organization with the Knight
Distinguished Service Award. An ARRL Volunteer Examiner, Bob took part
in over 340 license exam sessions, and was a long-serving member of the
DX Advisory Committee. Just a week before his passing, the nursing home
where hed lived since 2025 reported on Facebook about a carefully-
organized jailbreak in late July, in which Bob was able to briefly
return home and once again take to the airwaves as W1YRC, joining a
Wednesday night net with more than 40 other Rhode Island hams. Current
Rhode Island Section Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, noted in an email that
amateur radio in Rhode Island owes a lot to Bob. Read the full
obituary.Perry T. Green, WY1O, of Winsted, Connecticut, is also now a
Silent Key. A U.S. Army Veteran, he passed away on September 14, 2026,
at age 79. Perry was on the ARRL Headquarters staff from 2002 to 2017.
He was Assistant Manager of the ARRL VEC Department and had served as a
member of the Question Pool Committee for the National Conference of
Volunteer Examiner Coordinators. ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM,
recalled that Perry had a special gift for connecting with people. He
built lasting personal relationships with many of our Volunteer
Examiners and customers and ... made people feel welcome and
appreciated. Somma added that Greens dedication, kindness, and ability
to connect with others made him a valued colleague and important part of
the ARRL VEC team. An obituary is available.Charles Uncle Chuck Lee
Wyrick, N1UC, of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, became a Silent Key on
September 1, 2026, at age 82. An ARRL member, he was a longtime employee
of Ham Radio Outlet (HRO), joining the staff there in 1989. He was the
companys National Operations Manager from 2007 until his retirement in
2017. According to the HRO website, Wyrick was responsible for bringing
the company into the 21st century by implementing a networked point-of-
sale application which connected all HRO stores and allowed sharing of
sales and inventory control data among all locations. Chuck was also an
active satellite operator and was a control operator of the AO-27
satellite. Read the full obituary.Doug Hendricks, KI6DS, passed away on
September 18, 2026. A co-founder of the NorCal QRP Club and
founder/owner of Hendricks QRP Kits, he helped start and fuel the
popularity of kit-building among QRP (low power) enthusiasts. Hendricks
was also a long-time master of ceremonies for the OzarkCon QRP
conference and a regular presenter at Four Days in May, the QRP
gathering that precedes the Dayton Hamvention each year. Off the ham
bands, Doug taught science and math, and coached basketball, at Dos
Palos High School in California, where he was responsible for more than
300 victories and the schools first-ever league championship. ARRL sends
condolences to the families and friends of these four leaders of the
amateur radio community.

Bob Beaudet, W1YRC (SK) | 1938  2026 (left). Doug Hendricks, KI6DS (SK)
| 1947  2026 (right).[Tommy Gober, N5DUX, photo]

Will RADE Be the Next SSB?Its been a half century since single sideband
(SSB) supplanted amplitude modulation (AM) as the most popular voice
mode on HF, due largely to its spectrum efficiency, occupying roughly
half the bandwidth of an AM signal. Now, theres a new digital voice mode
from FreeDV called Radio Autoencoder, or RADE, that occupies half the
bandwidth of an SSB signal and reportedly provides more natural-sounding
speech. According to Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), which
funded research that advanced RADEs development, FreeDV RADE combines
machine learning with classical digital signal processing (DSP) and can
operate at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) as low as -2 dB. Its design
also addresses spectrum use, speech quality, and power efficiency, all
important considerations for voice communications over HF.Most
significantly, ARDC reports that manufacturers are beginning to
integrate the mode directly into their radios, starting with a module
that can be downloaded and installed on certain FlexRadio models. Users
of other transceivers may run the mode through computers connected to
their radios. More details are available from FreeDV and on the ARDC
website.

Caption: The FreeDV RADE digital voice signal occupies only 1.5 kHz,
half the bandwidth of an SSB signal. [Image from FreeDV.org]

Amateur Radio in the NewsRadio enthusiasts gather for 68th annual
Midwest Superfest / Central Illinois proud.com (WMBD-TV), September 20,
2026 -- Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.The
28.6-kilogram amateur-radio satellite AO-7 went silent in mid-1981 after
its batteries shorted. Then, on 21 June 200221 years laterBritish radio
ham Pat Gowen heard it transmitting again / Space Daily, September 17,
2026 Mission Notes column.Concord Historical Society to host local ham
radio operators /Springville Journal (Springville, NY), September 17,
2026 -- Southtowns Amateur Radio Society, WB2ELW.Beauregard Parish E911
Partners With Beauregard Amateur Radio Group / West Centrals Best
(Leesville, LA), September 17, 2026 -- Beauregard Amateur Radio
Group.Pakistans amateur radios are tuned in for the apocalypse / Dawn
(Karachi, Pakistan), August 26, 2026 -- Pakistan Amateur Radio Society
is an IARU Member Society.

ARRL Live Events and PodcastsOn the Air LIVE Contesting for the
Beginning Radio Amateur Join Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, ARRL Director of
Education and Learning, for the October episode of On the Air Live on
Tuesday, October 27, at 8 PM Eastern. Wayne will introduce the fun and
benefits of amateur radio contesting, with a special focus on how newly
licensed hams can get started.Contesting is more than chasing points and
making contacts. Its a great way to improve your operating skills, gain
confidence on the air, learn about propagation, and become a more
effective operatorall while having a lot of fun. Whether youre
interested in casual operating, awards, emergency communications, DXing,
or eventually competing in major contests, contesting can help sharpen
skills that carry across the hobby. The livestream will air on the ARRL
Learning Center, learn.arrl.org. Preregistration is required and can be
accomplished through the Learning Center.  Date: October 27, 2026 Time:
8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific Register Now |  Previously Recorded
SessionsListen to , available every Friday.  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.On the AirSponsored by IcomAbout
the New QST Product Review Comparison Tool for ARRL Lab-Tested
DevicesSome 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 manufacturers claims. Those test
results are included in the published review to help you make more
informed buying choices. ARRLs 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.

AnnouncementsThe 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. 09/30/2026 No activations scheduled10/07/2026
New Mexico W1AW/5 (host KA8JMW)10/07/2026 South Dakota W1AW/ (host
KBBC)10/07/2026 Connecticut W1AW/1 (host W8ZY)10/14/2026 California
W1AW/6 (host NZ6Q)10/14/2026 Georgia W1AW/4 (host AF4DN)10/14/2026
Missouri W1AW/ (host NAX)

In Brief...ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, was a guest on episode 103 of
The DX Mentor, which aired September 19, 2026. Hosted by Bill Salyers,
AJ8B, with Joe Pater, W8GEX, the discussion covered highlights from the
ARRL Board of Directors annual Second Meeting, held July 17; the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU); the August ARRL National
Convention hosted by the Huntsville Hamfest, and recent support from
major donors. Minster also answered questions submitted by listeners and
viewers. The DX Mentor podcast is available on many major platforms, and
the video interview is available on YouTube at youtu.be/Sd1Rt092BM8.ARRL
Oregon Section Manager Scott Rosenfeld, N7JI, reports that hams in his
Section were very busy making Oregon-based special event QSOs this
summer, making more than 12,000 contacts from multiple operations.
W1AW/7 accounted for 3,800 QSOs in its first week and 3,270 contacts in
its second; the Lewis and Clark Trail special event logged 3,309
contacts over 16 days; W7O had 1,285 QSOs in 12 days of operation at the
Oregon State Fair, and W7S at the Springfield Block Party rounded things
out with 74 contacts in just 4 hours on the air. An ARES/RACES team in
Texas was called out to help with communications following an apparent
carbon monoxide incident at a local middle school on August 27. Team
member Liz Brown, K5EMB, reports the schools roughly 1200 students were
evacuated to a nearby stadium. Staff members found it difficult to
communicate from one side of the facility to the other, so the citys
Emergency Management Coordinator requested help from the Carrollton-
Farmers Branch-Addison ARES/RACES group. While the communications
problems were quickly resolved, the hams were asked to remain and shadow
certain school officials until  all students and parents were reunited
about 4 hours later.The Trilogy Amateur Radio Club in Bonney Lake,
Washington, has a new repeater in service that is dedicated to use by
the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) during exercises and
emergencies. At other times, it is open for general amateur use. The
repeater was funded largely by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital
Communications (ARDC) and installed in cooperation with the Bonney Lake
Fire Department. It is located inside a fire station and its antenna is
on the station roof at a height of roughly 800 feet above sea level,
providing broad coverage of the East Pierce County area. Open Positions
at ARRLCome join the headquarters staff of ARRL The National Association
for Amateur Radio! We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the
following positions:Technical EditorRFI Lab EngineerPublic Relations and
Outreach ManagerAdvertising Sales ManagerFull details may be found on
the ARRL HR web page at www.arrl.org/careers.ARRL is an equal
opportunity employer.      The ARRL Solar ReportSolar activity is likely
to continue at low levels with isolated to occasional C-class flare
activity, along with a slight chance for R1-R2 (Minor-Moderate) M-class
flare events, through September 25, according to NOAAs Space Weather
Prediction Center. The SWPC reports that nine sunspot regions are on the
visible disk, including a new Region 4541. There were three solar flares
observed in the past week, none of which was directed toward Earth.A
disturbed solar wind environment was expected to arrive late yesterday,
followed by positive polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (+CH HSS)
influences continuing through September 25.Unsettled to active
geomagnetic field conditions levels are expected as of today under early
+CH HSS effects, including isolated periods of G1 (Minor) geomagnetic
storming today and tomorrow.The Australian Space Weather Forecasting
Centres global HF propagation forecast for middle latitudes is for mild
degradation today due to forecast geomagnetic activity, followed by
normal propagation in the days that follow. We are currently in a period
of equinoctial propagation, during which conditions are relatively
uniform around the world.Predicted 10.7-centimeter radio flux from the
SWPC: Sep 24, 100; Sep 25-26, 105; Sep 27, 100; Sep 28, 105; Sep 29,
110; Sep 30-Oct 1, 115.Send your tips, questions, or comments to
w2vu@arrl.org.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.

Solar image on September 24, 2026 [Photo courtesy NOAA Space Weather
Prediction Center]

Just Ahead in Radiosport      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)
October 1 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest - NA (digital)      October 1
- 2 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)      October 2 -- URC DX RTTY
Contest (digital)      October 3 -- German Telegraphy Contest (CW)
October 3 -- 50 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)      October 3 - 4
-- Collegiate QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)      October 3 - 4 --
Russian WW Digital Contest (digital)      October 3 - 4 -- International
HELL Contest (digital)      October 3 - 4 -- California QSO Party (CW,
phone)      October 4 -- UBA ON Contest, SSB (phone)      October 4 --
Peanut Power QRP Sprint (CW, phone)Remember to visit the ARRL Contest
Calendar for more events and information.

Upcoming ARRL Conventions and Major EventsARRL 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, MinnesotaOctober 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, KansasOctober 3 | Rock Hill Hamfest,
hosting the ARRL South Carolina Section Convention, Rock Hill, South
CarolinaOctober 9  10 | SPARK-CON 2026, hosting the ARRL Midwest
Division Convention, Sedalia, MissouriOctober 10 | North Star Radio
Convention, hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Brooklyn Park,
MinnesotaOctober 11 | Nutmeg Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Connecticut State
Convention, Meriden, ConnecticutOctober 11 | HamFest, hosting the ARRL
Southern New Jersey Section Convention, Mullica Hill, New JerseyOctober
16  18 | Pacificon, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San
Ramon, CaliforniaOctober 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, ArizonaNovember 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@arrl.org. -- Richard Moseson, W2VU, ARRL News EditorARRL --
Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and InformationJoin ARRL
or renew today! No other organization works harder to promote and
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and advocacy to help you get (and stay) active and on the air.
Membership includes access to digital editions of all four ARRL
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Air. Published bimonthly for newer hams, featuring introductions to
popular activities and key concepts, equipment buying guides, and
practical projects with step-by-step instructions  all in language thats
easy to understand.NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly,
features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores,
NA Sprints, and QSO parties. QEX -- A Forum for Communications
Experimenters. Published bimonthly, features technical articles,
construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio
amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL
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