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Time Is Running Out to Vote in ARRL Division Elections |
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ARRL members in the Pacific, Southeastern, and Southwestern Divisions have until noon Eastern Time on November 21, 2025, to cast their votes for ARRL Board seats. You may vote in the election if you were a Full member in the Division as of September 10, 2025. Check your email and mail for voting instructions from Election Services Co. (ESC) and make sure your voice is heard. If you haven’t received your ballot information, contact the ESC helpdesk at 866-720-4357 or email ARRLElection@ElectionServicesCorp.com.
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New ARRL Technician Class LIVE Video Course for Ham Radio Licensing |
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Do you have family, friends, or neighbors eager to get on the air? Introduce them to the new ARRL Technician Class LIVE Video Course! The course includes everything needed to prepare for the FCC Technician Class amateur radio license exam. Enrollment is open now for the two-day course, which will take place December 20 – 21, 2025.
Join ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, for this interactive online class. “We’re going to have fun!,” said Greene. “I’ll guide you through operating your first ham radio to how to communicate through amateur radio satellites. We are going to get fully immersed in every question and answer with the info you need to pass the test!”
In addition to live instruction, course participants will receive the popular Technician Class prep book from ARRL National Instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA, which has helped thousands of new hams get licensed with fast results. One-year of ARRL Membership is also included, ensuring these new hams will have quick access to all ARRL benefits, services, and programs.
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Course Includes:
- Two days of LIVE instruction with expert ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF
- Technician Class prep book by Gordon West, WB6NOA
- One-year of ARRL Membership
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Those who remember ARRL’s recorded video courses of the past will recall how valuable it is to see and hear lively video instruction. This new course will ensure students have an even more personal, interactive experience. Greene will present the material in bite-sized sections, demonstrating just how much fun amateur radio is!
Visit the ARRL Shop to complete the paid enrollment for a special introductory price of $99. Registrants will receive a follow-up email with instructions for registering for the live video course after completing your order. If you have any questions regarding the course, please contact the ARRL Education and Learning Department at 860-594-0285 or email ead@arrl.org.
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Special Event Unites Two Pennsylvania Colleges and Amateur Station W3USR |
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The Murgas Amateur Radio Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a special event that includes the University of Scranton, Kings College, and amateur radio station W3USR. The station is part of the University of Scranton Physics and Engineering Department, a university student club, and a flagship station for the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) project.
The event, organized in partnership with the Slovak Heritage Society of Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) and the Luzerne County Historical Society, celebrates the November 1905 public unveiling of the Father Murgas tone method, a wireless communication system capable of transmitting voice and sound over long distances and the forerunner of the continuous tone-coded squelch system (CTCSS) and digital-coded squelch (DCS). It was developed and patented by Father Joseph Murgas (PDF). The test included a series of messages exchanged between Father Murgas; then Wilkes-Barre Mayor Frederick C. Kirkendall; then Scranton Mayor Alex T. Connell; and Rev. Michael John Hoban, a former bishop of the Diocese of Scranton.
All of the activity begins at 1:00 PM EST Saturday, November 15. Wilkes-Barre Mayor George C. Brown and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti will recreate that transmission with King’s College president Rev. Thomas P. Looney and The University of Scranton president Rev. Joseph G. Marina. After the tone method demonstration, W3USR will be on the air for ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB.
All of the events are open to the public. The Murgas Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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Participants in National Traffic System® (NTS®) message nets will soon be noticing two changes in ARRL Radiograms. For the first time in 45 years, a new message “precedence,” or priority level, is being introduced, and the list of numbered “ARL” radiogram texts has been updated and expanded. The new “C,” or “CERTIFIED,” precedence joins the long-standing list of E (EMERGENCY), P (PRIORITY), W (WELFARE), and R (ROUTINE) message categories. It is to be used for unique messages to specific individuals with known contact information and must be delivered within 48 hours of origination. The “C” precedence may not be used for bulk messages, such as those sent to welcome new amateurs to the hobby. It is the first new precedence established since the WELFARE (W) category was introduced in 1980.
In addition, the list of standardized ARL Numbered Radiograms has been updated and expanded to keep up with changing technology and messaging needs during disasters and emergencies. The use of “ARL” in a message alerts the receiving operator to expect ARRL NUMBERED RADIOGRAM(s) in the message text. For example, the new ARL THIRTY FIVE is a shortened form of telling the recipient that the sender is “Evacuating to family member/friend’s house,” and ARL NINETY TWO is shorthand for “Widespread disruptions to internet service at this location.” There are many more new ARL Numbered Radiogram Texts. Anyone involved in traffic nets is encouraged to download the complete list from either the NTS 2.0 website or Radio Relay International (RRI).
The changes are part of ongoing efforts to modernize the National Traffic System and result from a memorandum of understanding establishing a closer working relationship between NTS and RRI. More details are available in the November issue of The NTS Letter.
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Icom Dream Station: Have You Earned All Your Sweepstakes Entries? |
| The countdown is on! ARRL Full members have until December 31, 2025, to earn up to six automatic entries for a chance to win the Icom Dream Station — a complete ham radio station featuring a limited-edition IC-7760 HF/50 MHz transceiver, IC-PW2 amplifier, desktop microphone, and a special Icom 60th Anniversary Seiko watch — all generously donated by Icom America.
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How to Earn Entries
Members automatically earn ARRL Sweepstakes entries* when they…
* There is a limit of 6 entries per person.
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Donate to Diamond Club
ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL, shared that many members — including long-time Life Members — have joined the ARRL Diamond Club this year, earning entries while supporting amateur radio beyond membership dues.
“Diamond Club donors are fueling the future of amateur radio while unlocking a shot at winning a state-of-the-art Icom Dream Station valued at over $17,000,” said Beal. “These donations provide vital funds that ensure ARRL will continue to protect and promote amateur radio — including advocacy, education, technical resources, and public service. These funds also fuel our work to develop the next generation of active hams, including free student membership for youth, and programs that recruit new hams of all ages. Every gift is an investment in the hobby we love.”
As a federally-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, contributions to ARRL may be tax-deductible. Diamond Club gifts come in any amount, with several giving levels designed for flexibility and recognition. Donations to the Diamond Terrace also qualify, establishing a lasting honor for a special radio amateur.
“The Diamond Club is an opportunity to amplify amateur radio’s voice through ARRL — and this year, to potentially upgrade your shack with a winning sweepstakes entry!” said Beal. Donate to Diamond Club at www.arrl.org/DiamondClub or telephone 860-594-0291 during business hours. Or reach the ARRL Development Office at development@arrl.org.
Learn more about the 2025 ARRL Sweepstakes and view the Official Rules at www.arrl.org/DreamStation. (No purchase necessary.)
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The 6th Annual Youth “Dream Rig” Essay Contest is About to Get Underway! |
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The contest is sponsored by the Intrepid-DX Group, a California-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting amateur radio in developing nations. But this year … a change.
“This year, rather than our past essays, we are seeking well thought-out and clearly communicated project proposals for a public access amateur radio station,” said Paul S. Ewing, N6PSE, president of The Intrepid-DX Group.
This year’s contest is called “Amateur Radio for the Greater Good.” Written proposals may be submitted between November 10 and December 10, 2025, by amateurs age 25 or younger, describing how they would establish a club, contest, community, or emergency communication station in a school, church, fire station, community center, hospital, or other public building. The station must be in the USA and only US-licensed amateurs may submit proposals.
“This is a departure from our conventional essay contest,” added Ewing. “We are looking for proposals that would place the station in a secure and common area where it could be enjoyed by other licensed amateurs. Once the winning proposal is selected, the proposal author will have sixty days to secure written permission from the owner or guardian of the facility. The written permission must indicate approval for the station and antenna to be installed. The proposal author may be the trustee of the station.”
The equipment provided will include an HF transceiver, VHF/UHF transceiver, 13.8V power supply, two 100′ lengths of coax, and antennas.
The awardee of the complete station will be announced on December 15, 2025.
Proposals may be submitted via email to intrepiddxgroup@gmail.com or via USPS to:
The Intrepid-DX Group
3052 Wetmore Dr.
San Jose, CA 95148
For more information about the Intrepid-DX Group, visit its website at https://intrepid-dx.com.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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ARRL Live Events and Podcasts |
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On the Air LIVE
Join ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he discusses the Winlink system and how it can be used to send messages to loved ones outside of a disaster area.
Up Next:
📅 Date: November 25, 2025
🕗 Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific
👉 Register Now
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
All About the EOC
ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, joins the podcast in support of the September/October 2025 article, “The EOC: Serving at the Hub,” by Rick Palm, K1CE, which talks about what an Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is, and offers tips for hams who are serving at an EOC for the first time. Josh takes us through more Emergency Operations Center functions, as well as what hams need to know before they walk into one. Listen Now
More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday. ARRL Audio News 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. |
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ARRL is calling on all radio amateurs and GRMS licensees to join our nationwide grassroots campaign to pass the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act. ARRL has made it very easy to send your letters to Congress. Hams should go to https://send-a-letter.org/HOA and GMRS users should go to https://send-a-letter.org/GMRS. The letters will automatically be sent to your elected officials encouraging them to support the bipartisan bills. Passage would give amateur radio operators the same rights to install antennas on their property as those enjoyed by users of TV antennas, wireless internet, and flagpoles. Radio clubs should also prepare letters of support, signed by each club officer. See instructions for clubs (PDF) and a sample letter for clubs (DOCX). For more information about the ARRL campaign to Pass The Bill, visit www.arrl.org/HOA. And please share these YouTube videos on your personal social media.
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| Many amateur radio clubs and organizations are planning on-air commemorations and special events for Veterans Day 2025. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club will honor the Continental Marines Birthday. Special event station WM3PEN will operate November 8 – 12 from 1300Z – 0400Z each day. In Christiansburg, Virigina, the New River Valley Amateur Radio Club will mark the holiday on November 11 from the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virigina. Special event station W2B will be in operation from 1500Z – 2000Z on 14.275 MHz. A QSL card will be sent with a SASE. Contact these clubs for additional information.
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| ARRL Headquarters will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no W1AW bulletin or code practice transmissions on that day. ARRL HQ will reopen on Wednesday, November 12, at 8 AM EST. We are grateful for the sacrifices and service of our Veterans.
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| 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:
Membership Manager
Senior RFI Lab Engineer
Public Relations and Outreach Manager
Purchasing Associate
Full details may be found on the ARRL HR web page at www.arrl.org/careers.
ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.
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| Solar Image from the Learmonth Solar Observatory via Australian Spaceweather.com November 6, 2025. |
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ARRL Solar Report November 6, 2025
Solar activity has reached high levels due to a pair of X-class flares.
The first was an X1.8/1b on November 4 from Region 4274. Associated with the flare were Type IV radio sweeps, 160 sfu Tenflare, and a partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) directed mostly off the NE limb in coronagraph imagery. Although the majority of the ejecta is expected to pass behind Earth, there is the possibility of a shock enhancement late on November 6 to early on November 7. Region 4274 continued to be in a growth phase; however, the intermediate spots appeared to begin to separate from the larger trailing spots.
An X1.1 flare was also observed on November 4 from a region just beyond E limb near S15. Associated with this flare were a Type IV radio sweep and a non-Earth directed CME observed off the SE limb on November 4.
Solar wind parameters were mildly enhanced, but in decline. Solar wind speed decreased from approximately 480 km/s to nearly 420 km/s. Total field ranged from 4-9 nT while the Bz component was between +5/-7 nT. Phi angle was mostly positive.
Solar wind parameters were near nominal levels. Solar wind speed ranged from 341-447 km/s. Total field ranged from 3-7 nT. There was a prolonged period of southward Bz reaching -6 nT beginning at 04/2044. Phi angle was positive. Solar wind parameters were likely to trend towards nominal levels on November 5 – 6. Parameters are expected to become enhanced with the arrival of the next coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS ) on November 06 – 07. There are also now three CMEs — two that left the disk November 3 and one on November 4, all from Region 4274 — that are projected to pass behind Earth with tail ends of their magnetic clouds interacting with the CH HSS. The combination of CME/HSS will produce enhanced solar wind parameters November 6 – 7.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: November 6 – 7, 130; November 8 – 9, 135; November 10, 132; November 11 – 12, 140.
Predicted sunspot numbers: November 6, 125; November 7, 119; November 8, 131; November 9, 116; November 10, 136; November 11,116; November 12, 136
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read A Quick Guide to HF Propagation Using Solar Indices, and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
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- November 8 – 9 — ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- November 8 – 9 — WAE DX Contest (RTTY)
- November 8 – 9 — JIDX Phone Contest (phone)
- November 8 – 9 — OK-OM DX Contest (CW)
- November 8 – 10 — CQ-WE Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- November 9 — FIRAC HF Contest (phone)
- November 11 — DARC FT4 Contest (digital)
- November 12 — RSGB 80 Meter Autumn Series, SSB (phone)
- November 15 — All Austrian 160-Meter Contest (CW)
- November 15 — RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest (CW)
- November 15 – 16 — REF 160-Meter Contest (CW)
- November 15 – 17 — ARRL November Sweepstakes, SSB (phone)
- November 17 — RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
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Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
- November 15 | Superstition ARC Superfest & Electronics Expo, hosting the ARRL Arizona State Convention, Mesa, Arizona
- December 12 – 13 | The Tampa Bay Hamfest, hosting the ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida
- January 10 | Ham Radio University, ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville, New York
- January 16 – 17 | Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest, ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention, Fort Myers, Florida
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database to find events in your area.
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ARRL — Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information
Join ARRL or renew today! No other organization works harder to promote and protect amateur radio. Membership supports benefits, services, programs, and advocacy to help you get (and stay) active and on the air. Membership includes access to digital editions of all four ARRL magazines: QST, On the Air, QEX, and NCJ.
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.
The ARRL Letter is available in an accessible format, posted weekly to the Blind-hams Groups.io email group. The group is dedicated to discussions about amateur radio as it concerns blind hams, plus related topics including ham radio use of adaptive technology.
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 members…
Subscribe to the ARES Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update (biweekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts, and much more!
Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Threads, X, and Instagram. |
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The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 51 times each year. ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their profile at www.arrl.org/opt-in-out.
Copyright © 2025 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission.
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