ARRL News

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspot Cycle 25 is 1 year old, and increasing solar activity continues to surprise and amaze.

Average daily sunspot numbers more than doubled every week over the past few weeks. Two weeks ago, we reported average daily sunspot numbers of 12. Last week, the average was 27.9. This week the average daily sunspot number at sits at 57.6.

In the past week the highest ...

The launch that will carry AMSAT’s RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E CubeSat into orbit will likely take place later this month. Virgin Orbit has announced that the launch window for their LauncherOne Launch Demo 2 mission, which will carry the AMSAT spacecraft into orbit, opens on December 19. RadFxSat-2 is the fifth and final Fox-1 satellite built by AMSAT.

Like RadFxSat / Fox-1B (now AMSAT-OSCAR 91RadFxSat...

Amateur radio licensees and candidates will have to provide the FCC with an email address on applications, effective sometime in mid-2021. If no email address is included, the FCC may dismiss the application as defective.

The FCC is fully transitioning to electronic correspondence and will no longer print or provide wireless licensees with hard-copy authorizations or registrations by mail.

A Repo...

The month of December has been designated as YOTA month. The annual initiative sponsored by Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) initially focused on International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 (Europe, the Mideast, and Africa), with young radio amateurs taking to the air with YOTA-suffix call signs. YOTA (Youth on the Air) in Region 2 (the Americas) is following step, and K8Y, K8O, K8T, and K8A ...

[UPDATED 2020-12-02 @1609 UTC] The 900-ton instrument platform of the 305-meter radio telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell some 400 feet Tuesday morning, crashing into the huge, already-damaged dish below, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reported in a December 1 Tweet. “No injuries were reported,” NSF said, adding that it is still assessing the situation. “Our top priority...

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he intends to leave the Commission on January 20, 2021, as the Biden Administration comes into office. The FCC chairman is appointed by the president.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Chairman of the FCC over the past 4 years,” Pai said. “I am grateful to President Trump for giving me the...

RadioShack® is back as an online retailer of electronics, offering some parts in its inventory that largely consists of radios, batteries, telephone gear, drones, computer accessories, and even cameras. The iconic company was recently purchased from General Wireless by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV).

No plans are in place to reopen RadioShack-owned stores, although some 400 brick-and-mortar out...

A solar flare from massive solar region 2786 at 1311 UTC on Sunday, November, 29, was the most powerful solar flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) so far during the new Solar Cycle 25.

The sun’s activity is now rapidly increasing after a slow increase in activity this year following solar minimum a year ago.

While the flare and CME, which erupted from just behind the southeast solar limb, was no...

ARRL is taking part in #GivingTuesday on December 1. This global day of giving invites individuals to celebrate the holiday season by giving back and creating change in their communities and their world. Many ARRL programs and services are not covered by membership fees alone. Your contributions have a tremendous impact on ARRL’s ability to promote amateur radio and better serve its members.

Onl...

10/27/2020

ARRL will file comments in firm opposition to an FCC proposal to impose a $50 fee on amateur radio license and application fees. With the November 16 comment deadline fast approaching, ARRL urges members to add their voices to ARRL’s by filing opposition comments of their own. The FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) MD Docket 20-270 appeared in the October 15 edition of The Feder...

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the past week our sun has been quite active, with rising sunspot numbers and solar flux showing strong evidence that Solar Cycle 25 is progressing.

Average daily sunspot number rose from 12 last week to 27.9 in the current week, while solar flux rose to a high of 103.7, bringing average daily solar flux up from 79.8 to 90.1.

Average daily planetary A index r...

In comments to the FCC, ARRL has argued that radio amateurs be allowed to continue shared operation in the 3.4 GHz band until 5G licensees who purchase the spectrum when the FCC puts it up for auction initiate incompatible operations. In its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in WT Docket 19-348, the FCC had proposed to sunset the band for amateur radio in two phases, governed by whe...

The Yasme Foundation has announced the latest recipients of the Yasme Excellence Award. They are Brett Ruiz, PJ2BR, and Helena Ruiz, PJ2ZZ; Bob Wilson, N6TV; Jari Perkiömäki, OH6BG, and Jim Brown, K9YC. The Yasme Excellence Award recognizes individuals and groups who, through their own service, creativity, effort, and dedication, have made a significant contribution to amateur radio. This may b...

The US Coast Guard has invited comments by January 21, 2021, on a proposal to discontinue HF voice watchkeeping. The proposal appeared on November 20 in the Federal Register. The USCG proposes to cease monitoring 4125, 6215, 8291, and 12,290 kHz, in the contiguous US and Hawaii, due to a lack of activity.

“We believe this change would have a low impact on the maritime public, as commercial satel...

Ham Radio retailer Universal Radio, headquartered in Worthington, Ohio, is closing its store on November 30, although all existing orders will be filled, and the Universal Radio website will remain open to sell off “remaining stock, publications, and some select products.” Owners Fred Osterman, N8EKU, and Barbara Osterman, KC8VWI, are retiring.

“I am very fortunate to have been in the radio busi...

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU R2) Executive Committee (EC) approved dues reductions and holidays for member-societies in Region 2 (the Americas). The action came as the R2 EC held its fifth and final virtual meeting of the year on November 18 to complete outstanding business from its three October sessions and to approve the 2021 operating budget.

“Recognizing that the pan...

New York City-Long Island Section Manager Jim Mezey, W2KFV, has been re-elected in the fall election cycle. Mezey, of Carle Place, received 527 votes to 136 for challenger Donnie Katzovicz, W2BRU. The race for NYC-LI SM was the only contested election. Mezey begins a new 2-year term of office on January 1, 2021. He has served as New York City-Long Island Section Manager since 2013.

In the West C...