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ARRL Letter Issue
96
The ARRL Letter for October 22, 2026
Richard Moseson, W2VU, Editor | October 22, 2026
ARRL Homepage
ARRL Homepage
In this Issue:
Latest Colvin Grants Assist Youth-Focused DXpeditions
San Diego Balloon Launch Draws in High School Students
Hams Help Run the Chicago Marathon
A Century-Plus of Radio Innovation: The 102nd ARRL Handbook is Now
Available
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
Save the Date
Latest Colvin Grants Assist Youth-Focused DXpeditions
Two upcoming DXpeditions with a focus on young operators are the latest
recipients of Colvin grants from ARRL. The grants, funded by an
endowment established by noted DXpeditioner Lloyd Colvin, W6KG (SK), are
intended to support amateur radio projects that promote international
goodwill in the field of DX.
The latest recipients are the upcoming VK9XY DXpedition to Christmas
Island, south of Indonesia scheduled for this November 16 through
December 4 and the VPSG expedition to South Georgia Island, in the
South Atlantic, planned for March 2027.
Ten of the 12 VK9XY operators are under age 26, and the team leader is
ARRL Education and Learning Support Specialist Max Freedman, N4ML,
already a veteran DXpeditioner at age 22. But the truly unique aspect of
this expedition are plans for up to 40 young hams to operate the station
remotely from various parts of the world, using an internet-linked rig
in a box, or RIB.
"The VK9XY team would like to sincerely thank ARRL granting us the
Colvin Award, said Freedman. It is only with this collective support
from groups like NCDXF, DX Engineering, ARRL, and the community at large
that we are able to bring the next generation of radio amateurs right to
the bleeding edge of DXpeditioning."
The VPSG team will also include three (on-site) young operators and will
be the first amateur radio activation of South Georgia since 2016. (One
young operator, Violetta Latham, KN2P, is part of both the VK9XY and
VPSG teams!) In addition to the challenges associated with getting to
and operating from a sub-Antarctic island, the team also has to
negotiate very strict environmental regulations. According to the teams
website, the group is committed to operating with the highest possible
standards of environmental responsibility while maximizing the number of
unique contacts to give smaller stations a better opportunity to work
South Georgia.
San Diego Balloon Launch Draws in High School Students
Members of the Mt. Carmel High School Amateur Radio Club in San Diego,
California, used a high-altitude balloon launch October 17 to generate
interest among their fellow students and the community in amateur radio,
science, technology, engineering and math. Members of the public were
encouraged to track the balloon flight in real time using an app called
Sondehub-Amateur, which displays telemetry from amateur radio high
altitude balloon launches.
This flight, which carried the call sign K6GO, belonging to Gayle Olson,
a volunteer for the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Committee and Maxim
Society member, flew to an altitude of 17-1/2 miles before the balloon
burst and the payload parachuted back to the ground in Julian,
California, some 60 miles inland from its launch point on Fiesta Island.
The launch was part of the San Diego Repeater Associations annual
Hamtastic event, which brings together hams and clubs from throughout
the region to get on the air, socialize, and demonstrate amateur radio
to the public. The San Diego Repeater Association is an ARRL Affiliated
Club.
Randy Standke, KQ6RS, prepares
the K6GO weather balloon for
launch during the San Diego
Repeater Associations annual Hamtastic event in Southern California.
[Photo courtesy of Gayle Olson, K6GO]
Gayle Olson, K6GO, holding the weather balloon that would carry her call
sign to an altitude of more than
17 miles from its launch at the San
Diego Repeater Associations Hamtastic event on October 17.
[Photo courtesy of Gayle Olson, K6GO]
Hams Help Run the Chicago Marathon
The 2026 Chicago Marathon on October 11 drew 55,000 runners from around
the world and 165 ham radio operators from 6 states to help provide
medical communications and logistical support. This was the 18th year of
amateur radio participation, according to Rob Orr, K9RST, president of
Ham Radio Chicago, which coordinated amateur radio activity at the
marathon. The group also helps recruit new volunteers and provides
training in public service communications.
Orr said the hams relied on 5 repeaters with citywide coverage as well
as 5 portable UHF tactical repeaters to make sure every amateur radio
team had at least three ways to contact the command tent in Grant Park.
In addition to traditional FM voice communications, Orr said the hams
also use DMR (digital mobile radio) and, this year, introduced a Zoom
channel on which medical personnel could have private consults if
needed. The hams coordinated the calls on the radio and then got the
parties together at a Zoom station in the command tent.
One hundred radio amateurs were stationed at medical tents along the
course, as well as a medical hub, passing along the medical teams
requests for transport, supplies, and other information. The hams also
provide situational awareness to the event organizers, reporting on the
number of patients being cared for at each medical tent, as well as the
stress levels the medical teams face in providing care. Orr notes that
amateur radio is just one component of a very complex event that
requires 15,000 volunteers to succeed. However, the hams role is unique,
he points out, adding that this event has shown the public, city
officials, and the runners that ham radio is very much alive and doing
well.
Jiangyun Zuo, KE9BWM, was one
of 165 ham radio operators from 6 states who helped provide
communications and logistical support for the 2026 Chicago Marathon
earlier this month. [Photo courtesy of
Ham Radio Chicago, Inc.]
One hundred amateur radio operators including Jon Baker, KC9OO,
pictured here were stationed at medical tents along the course of
the 2026 Chicago Marathon,
keeping course medical staff in contact with the medical hub.
[Photo courtesy of Ham Radio Chicago, Inc.]
A Century-Plus of Radio Innovation: The 102nd ARRL Handbook is Now
Available
First published in 1926, The ARRL Handbook has helped generations of
radio amateurs turn curiosity into knowledge, ideas into circuits, and
experiments into new discoveries. Over the past century, it has evolved
alongside radio technology, reflecting new developments and inspiring
hands-on learning and experimentation.
Edited by Gregory D. Lapin, Ph.D., P.E., N9GL, the 102nd edition
continues The ARRL Handbooks long history of technical excellence, with
updated coverage of radio electronics, circuit design, antennas,
propagation, digital communications, testing, and troubleshooting. New
and expanded topics include signals below the noise, AI and FreeDV,
digital mesh networks, satellite communications, compact and stealth
antennas, NanoVNA applications, software defined radio (SDR), and
microwave technology.
Now shipping, the 102nd edition is available in a six-volume set, a
softcover edition, and a digital edition. The print editions include the
digital edition and more than 350 supplemental files, including
articles, projects, software, PC board templates, and support files.
From understanding fundamental radio principles to experimenting with
emerging technologies, The ARRL Handbook continues to give radio
amateurs the knowledge and inspiration to build, experiment, and
innovate.
The ARRL Handbook is available from the ARRL Store or your ARRL Dealer.
Handbook 102 six-volume book set, ARRL Item No. 2462, ISBN
978-1-62595-246-2, is $69.95 retail. Handbook 102 softcover edition,
ARRL Item No. 2455, ISBN 978-1-62595-245-5, is $69.95 retail. Handbook
102 digital edition, ARRL Item No. 2455D, is $49.95 retail.
To order by phone, call 1-888-277-5289 (toll-free in the US), Monday
through Thursday, 8 AM to 7 PM, and Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time.
Outside the US, call (860) 594-0200.
Amateur Radio in the News
Mosquito control pilot killed after helicopter strikes 150-foot amateur
radio operators tower in Myakka City, FL / Wireless Estimator (Online),
October 19, 2026 (Also see In Brief... item below)
Ham radio buffs to gather Saturday at Fiesta Island for weather balloon
launch / San Diego Union Tribune (San Diego, CA), October 15, 2026 (Also
see San Diego Balloon Launch Draws in High School Students above) -- The
San Diego Repeater Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club
When the Power Goes Out, This Montco Radio Club Stays Connected /
Montco.today (Montgomery County, PA), October 20, 2026 -- Pottstown Area
Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club
These amateur radio enthusiasts build community over the air on Denton
Countys The Morning Show / Denton County Magazine (Denton, TX), October
11, 2026
ARRL Live Events and Podcasts
On 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's 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 Sessions
Listen 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 Air
Sponsored by Icom
Get Ready for Contest Season
ARRL Director of Education and Learning and host of On the Air LIVE,
Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to talk about what goes into an
on-air contest, and what you, as a new ham, can get out of participating
in one. 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.
Review your award progress and order your certificate and endorsements
at america250.arrl.org.
10/21/2026 Arkansas W1AW/5 (host K5DB)
10/21/2026 Alaska W1AW/KL7 (host KTW)
10/21/2026 Wisconsin W1AW/9 (host W9XT)
10/28/2026 Michigan W1AW/8 (host K8NGW)
10/28/2026 Nevada W1AW/7 (host NCSM)
11/4/2026 Arizona W1AW/7 (host W7RAP)
11/4/2026 Virginia W1AW/4 (host WA8AHZ)
11/4/2026 Oklahoma W1AW/5 (host N5HZR)
Last chance for this years ARRL Online Auction! Today is the final day
of the 2026 ARRL Online Auction, sponsored by GigaParts. More than 200
items are up for bid, including gear from QST Product Review articles,
vintage books, pre-owned equipment, signed original sketches by Salty
Walt Hudson, K4OGO, from Salty Walts Portable Antenna Sketchbook, and
four popular mystery boxes contributed by the ARRL Lab team. Proceeds
from the annual auction benefit ARRL education programs. All bidders
must register on the auction website, arrl.auctionanything.com. ALL BIDS
MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 10 PM EDT TODAY.
Historic LF station SAQ will be on the air on October 23 and 24 to mark
United Nations Day on the 24th. The Alexanderson alternator-based
Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden transmits on 17.2 kHz, and operated as
a commercial radio station from 1924 until the early 1990s. It is now a
World Heritage Site. SAQ will conduct test transmissions on the 23rd,
between 1100 and 1400 UTC, and will spread a peace message to the world
in Morse code on October 24th at 1245 UTC. The event will be
livestreamed on YouTube. In addition, amateur station SK6SAQ will be on
the air on the 24th, operating CW on 80, 40, and 20 meters, as well as
SSB on 75 and 40 meters. Reception reports for SAQ may be submitted
online for an E-QSL card. QSLs for SK6SAQ contacts may be sent via the
SM bureau, by email to info@alexander.n.se, or by postal mail to
Alexander Association, Radiostationen 72, SE-432 98 Grimeton, Sweden.
The FCC will allow amateurs to communicate with two military stations
aboard museum battleships in connection with National Pearl Harbor
Remembrance Day on December 5-7, 2026. The Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio
Association received a waiver on October 14, permitting short-term
crossband communications between amateurs and military stations NEPM
aboard the Museum Battleship Iowa (transmitting on 6.989, 14.375,
18.036, and 21.856 MHz), and NEMW aboard the Museum Battleship Alabama
(transmitting on 3.347, 7.463, 14.7615, and 18.060 MHz). The military
station operators will announce the amateur frequencies on which they
will be listening. Read the complete FCC order (PDF).
In Brief...
A helicopter pilot was killed after his aircraft crashed into a radio
tower believed to belong to a well-known ham in Florida. According to
various news reports, the pilot worked for the Manatee County Mosquito
Control District and had been conducting aerial spraying on October 15
in an effort to control the spread of a mosquito-borne illness. He was
reportedly returning to his base when he struck what was described as a
150-foot private radio tower in Myakka City, east of Sarasota. The tower
apparently belonged to well-known contester Dan Street, K1TO, and was
the tallest of three on his property. ARRL has reached out to Street for
additional information.
The YASME Foundation has presented its 2026 YASME Excellence Award to
the team behind the Reverse Beacon Network, or RBN, in recognition of
their support of a global volunteer-operated network of automated
amateur radio receiver stations (SDR skimmers) that listen to radio
bands and report who is transmitting in near-real time. According to the
foundation, the RBN typically has 250 active nodes around the world
measuring a stations frequency, signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio,
and sending speed, all of which is then reported live to a central RBN
database. Amateurs use this data for many purposes, including
propagation testing, antenna comparisons, contest operating and results
adjudication. The RBN team consists of founder Felipe Ceglia, PY1NB;
Nick Sinanis, F5VIH; Mark Glenn, K7MJG; Dave Pascoe, KM3T; Pete Smith,
N4ZR; Dick Williams, W3OA, and Chris White, WX7V.
October 31 is the deadline for schools to apply for grants from ARRLs
Education and Technology Program (ETP). The grants assist schools and
teachers in the purchase of radio equipment, software, and other radio-
related resources for school ham stations. The program offers two types
of grants: ETP School Station Grants for schools providing a plan to use
amateur radio as part of in-classroom learning or an enrichment program;
and ETP Progress Grants for teachers already using amateur radio in
their classrooms to purchase additional resources or for those teachers
needing resources in order to start teaching about electronics and
wireless technology using amateur radio. Details are on the ETP page of
the ARRL website.
Former ARRL Membership Services Manager Charles Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH,
of Lake Odessa, Michigan, became a Silent Key on October 10, 2026 at age
86. Chuck was born on August 25, 1940, in Lansing, Michigan. He earned a
bachelors degree in TV/radio broadcasting from Michigan State
University, while working at the university as a TV engineer. He later
worked for IBM servicing computers and spent 3 years in Ecuador as an
engineer for shortwave station HCJB before coming to work at ARRL
Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Chuck retired after 20 years at
ARRL and moved back to Michigan, but continued to contribute to amateur
radio through various ARRL publications, including Simple and Fun
Antennas for Hams. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia, two sons, and a
granddaughter. A complete obituary is online.
Students and faculty members at the University of Scranton in
Pennsylvania have been working for the past year and a half with five
clients of the Lackawanna Blind Association to teach them ham radio and
help them get their Technician licenses. All five have now successfully
earned their licenses, and are regulars on the university amateur radio
clubs W3USR repeater, according to club advisor Dr. Nathaniel Frissell,
W2NAF. Frissell says the club used training materials from the Handiham
program, and that at a recent graduation ceremony, each of the new
licensees was presented with a tactile plaque containing their name and
call sign, 3D-printed and in Braille. The program was recently
highlighted on the universitys online news site, Royal News. The
University of Scranton Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
HAARP, the University of Alaska Fairbanks High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program, is in the middle of a research campaign that will
result in high-powered transmissions on frequencies between 2.8 and 10
MHz (but not within the 80- or 40-meter amateur bands). The research
campaign began on October 20 and will continue through October 24, with
transmissions on varying frequencies between 0530 and 0930 UTC daily.
According to the university, these transmissions are being conducted in
support of the INFUSE-II and DUST-III sounding rocket missions. INFUSE-
II will test a new type of ultraviolet imager for use on future space
telescopes, while DUST-III will carry a miniature laboratory into space
to study how tiny grains of space dust form and grow.
Open Positions at ARRL
Come join the headquarters staff of ARRL The National Association for
Amateur Radio! We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the
following positions:
Technical Editor
RFI Lab Engineer
Public Relations and Outreach Manager
Membership Marketing Analyst
Instructional Specialist
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
The active sunspot region that has been giving us improved propagation
over the past several days will be rotating away from Earths view today,
but conditions on most of the HF amateur bands should remain pretty
decent in the days ahead, as the 10.7-centimeter radio flux remains
right around 100. However, NOAAs Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC)
says the geomagnetic field could become unsettled to active heading into
the weekend as a negative polarity coronal hole high-speed stream
(CHHSS) heads toward Earth.
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre predicts mostly normal
HF propagation conditions worldwide.
The W3LPL Propagation Forecast from the Daily DX is predicting a dropoff
in DX openings on 10 and 12 meters as the active sunspot region rotates
away from Earth and the solar cycle continues its decline. However, good
conditions are expected to continue on 15, 17, and 20 meters, with the
lower HF bands (30, 40 and 80 meters) providing excellent long distance
nighttime propagation.
This weekend is the CQ World Wide SSB DX Contest (0000Z October 24
through 2359 Z October 25). Its often said that this contest makes its
own propagation, most likely because there are stations active to take
advantage of unanticipated openings, even on the higher HF bands. So
keep listening for calls from faraway stations.
Predicted 10.7-centimeter solar flux: Oct 22-23, 100; Oct 24-26, 95; Oct
27, 100; Oct 28-29, 105. (Source: NOAA SWPC)
Share your reports and observations. 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.
Solar image on October 22, 2026
[Photo courtesy NOAA Space
Weather Prediction Center]
Just Ahead in Radiosport
October 19 - 23 -- ARRL School Club Roundup (CW, phone, digital)
October 24 - 25 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest, SSB (phone)
October 26 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
October 28 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
October 28 -- UKEICC 80m Contest (CW)
October 30 -- Zombie Shuffle (CW)
October 31 - November 1 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
October 31 - November 1 -- Russian WW MultiMode Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
October 31 - November 1 -- UK/EI DX Contest, SSB (phone)
November 1 -- North American SSB Sprint (phone)
November 1 -- EANET Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
November 1 -- High Speed Club CW Contest (CW)
November 1 -- Real Time Contest (CW, phone)
November 1 - 4 -- Classic Exchange, CW (CW)
November 2 -- RSGB 80m Autumn Series, Data (digital)
November 3 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
November 4 -- UKEICC 80m Contest (phone)
November 5 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity, NA (digital)
November 5 -- NRAU 10m Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
November 5 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
November 5 - 6 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
November 7 -- IPARC Contest, CW (CW)
November 7 - 8 -- YBDXPI FT8 Contest (digital)
November 7 - 9 -- ARRL November Sweepstakes, CW (CW)
November 8 -- IPARC Contest, SSB (phone)
November 8 -- FIRAC HF Contest (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.
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
December 11 12 | Tampa Bay Hamfest, hosting the ARRL West Central
Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida
Save the Date
Join ARRL at these Division Conventions and other major events
throughout the upcoming year, 2027.
February 12 14 | Orlando HamCation, hosting the ARRL Southeastern
Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
April 3 | RARSfest, The Raleigh Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Roanoke
Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
April 17 | Ham Radio University, hosting the ARRL Hudson Division
Convention, Brookville, New York
May 21 23 | Dayton Hamvention, Xenia, Ohio
August 14 | Cincinnati Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division
Convention, Owensville, Ohio
Have News for ARRL?
Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to
news@arrl.org. -- Richard Moseson, W2VU, ARRL News Editor
ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information
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Listen to , available every Friday.
The ARRL Letter is available in an accessible format, posted weekly to
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topics including ham radio use of adaptive technology.
On the 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.
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