ARRL News

Solar activity has been at very low to low levels this past week.
 
Low level C-class flaring was observed from Regions AR4210 and
AR4207. Slight growth was observed in Regions AR4213 and AR4214. The rest of the spotted regions were either stable or in decay. Solar
activity is expected to remain at low levels, with a chance for
isolated M-class flares (R1-R2/minor-moderate) through September 13.
 
A C...

Amateur radio volunteers serving in the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) and the National Weather Service SKYWARN® program were active over the weekend. They were serving their communities in New England as tornado-warned storms moved across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Five EF1 tornadoes struck the central Massachusetts communities of Paxton, Holden, Berlin and Stow. ...

The Bella Vista Radio Club (BVRC) in northwest Arkansas, an ARRL Special Service Club, found a good outreach opportunity with the NWA Maker Faire, held Saturday, September 6, 2025. The event touts that it “brings together creators, innovators, and DIY enthusiasts to showcase their projects, share ideas, and show us all what the future can be.”

BVRC is a large club and found a lot of interest qui...

Spaceweather.com for September 5 reports that a total lunar eclipse
occurs on September 7th.  However, it will not be visible in the
Americas.

Solar activity will likely continue at moderate levels with isolated
M-class flares through September 6 due to the combined flare
potential of Regions AR4197 and AR4207. Probabilities decrease to
just a chance for M-class flares on September 7 as AR4197 moves
b...

September is National Preparedness Month, and ARRL is working to arm members with knowledge and resources to be resilient in the face of disaster. Amateur radio serves as a powerful tool and national resource before and When All Else Fails®, but being prepared goes beyond radio. “Being ready to serve your community through ham radio begins with being ready yourself,” says ARRL Director of Emerg...

US Space Command headquarters is being moved to Huntsville, Alabama, known as “Rocket City USA.” The move was announced in a press conference on September 2, 2025. Huntsville will host the 2026 ARRL National Convention as part of the Huntsville Hamfest, but there’s a bigger connection between US Space Command and amateur radio. 

Space Command utilizes forces such as the US Space Force to accompl...

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is getting a boost, courtesy of the ham radio community on YouTube. A group of the content creators gathered for a cookout at this year’s Huntsville Hamfest and raised $6425 for the program. “We have a tremendous amount of support from the YouTubers,” said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA. “They’re on track to raise and...

Solar activity was at low levels on 18, 20, and 21 August with only C-class flares observed.  Activity increased to moderate levels on 19 August following an M1.1 flare at 19/0439 UTC from an area beyond the Eastern limb.  Moderate levels were also observed on 22 August as Region 4191 produced a long-duration M1.7/Sf flare.  Associated with this flare was a Type II radio sweep with an estimated...

This Labor Day weekend, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) celebrates its 60th anniversary of providing critical communications support to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and communities impacted by hurricanes.

As Hurricane Betsy was pummeling the Caribbean on Labor Day weekend 1965, a ham radio operator started hearing calls for information from operators in the Bahamas. Jerry Murphy, K8YUW, spr...

September is National Preparedness Month, which is a good time to look at your personal, family, and community resilience levels. For 2025, the National Preparedness Month theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” 

Amateur radio is a valuable resource for communication and community service before and during times of crisis, and can be a significant factor in your home’s level of preparedness.

“Now...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® Headquarters will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, in observance of the Labor Day federal holiday.

There will be no W1AW bulletin or code practice transmissions. ARRL Headquarters will reopen on Tuesday, September 2, at 8 AM EDT (1200 UTC).

Visit the ARRL Special Events Stations database to find on-the-air events and commemorations this we...

Updated 8/29/25

FCC Batch Filing System Restored

On Friday, August 29, 2025, the FCC’s Electronic Batch Filing (EBF) system was restored. This system is used by all Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) organizations to file exam sessions, individual license applications, and club license applications.

ARRL VEC staff are working diligently to clear the backlog of approximately 300 sessions and appl...

On August 22, Spaceweather.com reports a fast-moving Coronal Mass
Ejection, or CME, left the Sun on August 21.  However, it is not
Earth-directed, and is predicted to strike the planet Mars.

Solar activity has decreased back to low levels with a few weak
C-class flares observed from areas located in the northeast quadrant
of the solar disk. There are currently three sunspot regions on the
solar disk ...

A respected member of the DXing community has passed away. Lou Dietrich, N2TU, became a Silent Key on August 15 at the age of 78. 

Dietrich was the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International DX Association (INDEXA). He was known as a dedicated advocate for international goodwill through radio, and a passionate advocate for the mission of INDEXA. He played a pivotal role in gu...