ARRL News
- April 3, 2020
- Past ARRL Treasurer Jim McCobb, K1LU, SK
Past ARRL Treasurer James E. “Jim” McCobb, Jr., K1LU (ex-K1LLU, W1LLU), of West Newbury, Massachusetts, died on April 1. An ARRL Life Member, he was 77. McCobb served as ARRL Treasurer, a volunteer post, for nearly 32 years, from 1980 until 2012, when he was succeeded by current ARRL Treasurer Rick Niswander, K7GM. An active DXer and contester, McCobb was active from Belize, where he held the c...
- April 3, 2020
- The Latest Episode of ARRL Audio News is Now Available
Listen to the new episode of ARRL Audio News on your iOS or Android podcast app, or online at http://www.blubrry.com/arrlaudionews/. Audio News is also retransmitted on a number of FM repeaters. Click here and then scroll down to see the list.
- April 3, 2020
- The K7RA Solar Update
A new sunspot appeared on the last day in March and the first days of April, with daily sunspot numbers of 12, 13 and 12. Total sunspot area increased on each day from 10 to 20 to 30 millionths of a solar hemisphere.
Fortunately, this was a Cycle 25 spot, according to the magnetic signature.
Prior to this no sunspots were seen since earlier in March, when daily sunspot numbers were 13 and 12 on M...
- April 2, 2020
- Some Countries Permitting “STAYHOME”-Suffix Call Signs during COVID-19 Pandemic
Some countries around the world are allowing radio amateurs to use special “STAYHOME” call sign suffixes. For example, listen for 8A1STAYHOME from Indonesia, and A60STAYHOME/# call signs from the United Arab Emirates.
In Canada, Michael Shamash, VE2MXU, is using VC2STAYHOM “to raise awareness for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Canada limits call sign suffixes to seven character...
- April 2, 2020
- Spain Grants Unlicensed Individuals Permission to Use Amateur Stations During Lockdown
Spain’s International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-society URE has obtained temporary permission from the country’s telecommunications regulator for unlicensed people to use amateur stations during the coronavirus lockdown.
“The main objective of the request is to disseminate and promote amateur radio among schoolchildren who must be confined at home,” the announcement from the Ministry of ...
- April 2, 2020
- To All ARRL Members and ARRL VEC Accredited Volunteer Examiners
We know many examiners have canceled amateur radio license exam sessions to meet the requirements and recommendations of national and local government and of health officials. The health and safety of examinees and our Volunteer Examiners (VEs) is first and foremost in any decision-making process. The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) does not offer video-supervised online amateur radio...
- April 2, 2020
- WB2REM Wins the April QST Cover Plaque Award
The winning article for the April 2020 QST Cover Plaque award is “HD8M DXpedition to the Galapagos Islands” by Jim Millner, WB2REM.
The QST Cover Plaque Award -- given to the author or authors of the most popular article in each issue -- is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the May issue today.
- April 1, 2020
- Contest Entry Features Multiple Operator Locations and Remote Transmitter-Receiver Site
- April 1, 2020
- Western Pennsylvania ARES Group Conducts District-Wide Simplex Drill
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Western Pennsylvania Southwest District, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland counties, conducted a district-wide simplex practice drill on March 21. The exercise lasted about 4 hours, with all participants meeting on their local ARES county repeaters.
Each county Emergency Coordinator s...
- April 1, 2020
- Circuit Board for Bare-Bones Ventilator Moves Toward Production with Radio Amateurs’ Help
- April 1, 2020
- Problem Resolved: Digital Editions of QST and On the Air Now are Available
The digital editions of QST and On the Air magazine once again are available online as well as via the iOS, Android, and Kindle apps.
- March 31, 2020
- USA Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships Canceled
The ARRL ARDF Committee has made the difficult decision to cancel the 20th USA ARDF Championships, which were set to be held this summer. Contact the ARRL ARDF Committee for more information on ARDF and on attending, participating in, or hosting ARDF competitions. ARDF participants do not need an amateur radio license. For more information on Amateur Radio Direction Finding, visit the Homing In...
- March 31, 2020
- Amateur Radio Satellite Spreads Fight Coronavirus Message
Indonesia’s International Amateur Radio Union member-society ORARI reports the ham radio satellite LAPAN-A2 (IO-86) is being used to transmit a “fight coronavirus” message via APRS. The satellite’s text message is, “Stay Healthy, Stay at Home #LawanCorona (Fight Coronavirus).” Sonny Dwi Harsono, YD1SCC, a researcher the Center for Satellite Technology Development, has explained that including t...
- March 31, 2020
- ARES Members to Support Illinois Emergency Management Agency in COVID-19 Response
Illinois ARES members are supporting the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s (IEMA) COVID-19 response activities as AuxComm Radio Operator volunteers. Illinois ARES will coordinate the number and location of volunteer amateur communicators with IEMA on an ongoing basis for the foreseeable future.
In a separate activity, the daily Illinois ARES Wellness Net has been established to allow Illino...
- March 31, 2020
- International Marconi Day 2020 has been Canceled
The annual International Marconi Day (IMD) ham radio operating event that was set to take place on April 25 has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 24-hour amateur radio event celebrates the birth of Marconi on April 25, 1874. Sponsored by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, which operates as GB4IMD, International Marconi Day features participating stations operating at sites hav...