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| ARRL Director Tharp, KB7HDX Receives Search-and-Rescue Award |
| ARRL Northwestern Division Director Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, has received the Hall of Honor Award for 35 years of service to the Yakima Search and Rescue group.
Tharp called the award “unexpected and very much appreciated,” adding, “You don’t do volunteer work to get awards, you do it because it’s needed and makes a difference.”
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| ARRL Northwestern Division Director Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, at the 2026 ARRL Board of Directors Annual Meeting held in Windsor, Connecticut in January. |
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Tharp was first licensed in 1989 and now holds an Extra Class license. He became a ham after spending time with a ham friend, while exploring the mountains in the northwestern United States.
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“The Yakima Search and Rescue group continues to grow and help volunteers train and keep over 100 sports-related locations safe,” said Tharp. He remembered one particular rescue that involved a young boy and his cat. The boy had been missing for several hours and it was getting dark and cloudy. “We were tired but didn’t quit. I sat down on a hillside and using an infrared camera…we were able to find him and his cat…cold but OK,” lamented Tharp.
Tharp is retired now but as the ARRL Northwestern Division Director, he represents members in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. He is an ARRL Life Member and a member of the ARRL Diamond Club and ARRL Maxim Society.
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| From EMT to Amateur Radio and Back |
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| Brad Howard, Ph.D., KE8SVT, and certified EMT |
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Amateur radio has taken ARRL Member Brad Howard, Ph.D., KE8SVT, in many different directions. But last year, he stepped back a little to navigate a new direction…Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
It was not unfamiliar territory. In 1985, Brad was first certified as an EMT and began working for a private ambulance company. But the long hours and low pay eventually gave way to earning a doctorate in engineering management…and an amateur radio license.
He has been active in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) for many years and now sits on the board of directors of the Central Ohio Severe Weather Network. But why the change now back to EMT?
“For ARES, I have worked many events from marathons to meetings over the years, working alongside EMTs and paramedics. It’s hard work and sometimes, for a long race, I’m alone in the field,” he said. “I’ve noticed that there are times when medical care is critically needed and needed fast. Now, as a certified EMT, I can help until more medical personnel and equipment arrive at the scene.”
Being ready to help when needed also applies to amateur radio. It was a connection and a good reason to do both.
Today, Howard is still supporting ARES events, helping with severe weather situations, and volunteering for FAST, the Red Cross First Aid Services Team. As he nears retirement, amateur radio will always be an integral part of his life. For other hams who may be considering making changes, Howard says keep moving forward. “Retirement or life changes don’t mean you’re done. Make it a whole life experience, make it count and be ready when needed.”
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| ARRL Board Approves Funding for Federal Advocacy; Creates New DXCC Single-Band Honor Roll; Elects Officers |
| A Member Bulletin emailed to all ARRL members included highlights from the Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors, held in Windsor, Connecticut, January 16 – 17, 2026. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, led the meeting and welcomed new Division Vice Directors including Carol Milazzo, KP4MD – Pacific; Marty Newingham, AG3I – Atlantic; Mel Parkes, NM7P – Rocky Mountain, and John Kitchens, NS6X – Southwestern.
The Board re-elected President Roderick; First Vice President Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, and International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD. ARRL Foundation Treasurer Rick Niswander, K7GM, was elected as ARRL Second Vice President, succeeding Mike Ritz, W7VO, who held the position since 2024 and resigned on December 31, 2025. The Board also re-elected David Minster, NA2AA, as Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, and Diane Middleton, W2DLM, as Chief Financial Officer.
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| The ARRL Board of Directors met in Windsor, Connecticut, on January 16 – 17, 2026, for its Annual Meeting. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] |
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Board committees met the day before. The Administration & Finance Committee approved the 2026 plan, later approved unanimously by the Board, amending it to include additional funding for advocacy efforts in Washington, DC. These efforts include continuing work to advance the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (bills H.R.1094 and S.459) through committee and toward final passage. ARRL launched a nationwide grassroots campaign last September aimed at securing passage of the bipartisan federal legislation that would grant Amateur Radio Operators the same rights to install antennas on their property as those enjoyed by users of TV antennas, wireless internet, and flagpoles.
Board members discussed the final report from the Election Review Committee that was formed at the Board’s Second Meeting in July 2022. They also heard a report from ARRL Foundation President David Norris, K5UZ, highlighting the Foundation’s philanthropic support of amateur radio. In 2025, the Foundation awarded 171 scholarships totaling approximately $800,000, made possible through the generosity of the private foundation Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), individuals, and radio clubs. The Foundation also awarded 35 grants totaling $60,580 and two Division Convention Grants totaling $13,264.
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| (left to right) President Rick Roderick, K5UR, welcomes new ARRL Vice Directors: Marty Newingham, AG3I — Atlantic; John Kitchens, NS6X — Southwestern; Carol Milazzo, KP4MD — Pacific, and Mel Parkes, NM7P — Rocky Mountain. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] |
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Several other actions advanced by committees included the creation of a new single-band DXCC (DX Century Club) Honor Roll Award for qualifying operators. Commitments were also made to evaluate standardized reporting processes to streamline Section Traffic Manager and Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) monthly reporting, including broader adoption of the new Form 4 to improve the accuracy of reported volunteer hours.
The complete minutes of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors will be available soon on the ARRL website. The next meeting is scheduled for July 17 – 18, 2026. Read the complete Member Bulletin.
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| Vandals Strike Ham Factory |
| A major act of vandalism has disrupted production and shipping at the Dishtronix / Ten Tec / Alpha RF Systems factory in Dayton, Ohio. According to company owner Mike Dishop, N8WFF, a group of thieves last month destroyed the factory’s underground electrical infrastructure in order to steal the copper cable. “The thieves extracted approximately 2000 feet of half-inch copper cable weighing approximately 2800 pounds,” explained Dishop, “with an estimated salvage value of $12,000 and a replacement cost of over $35,000.” Dishop told The ARRL Letter that power was restored on January 14, a month after the break-in, but explained that “(t)his interruption has impacted the timing for everything we had on schedule by at least three months due to loss of time and capital.” He says the police investigation is ongoing.
In 2016, ARRL reported that Dishtronix had purchased the assets of amateur radio equipment manufacturer Ten Tec.
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| ARRL Honorary Vice President John Kanode, N4MM, Silent Key |
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| John Kanode, N4MM, SK | 1937 – 2026 |
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John Cadwallader Kanode, N4MM (SK), of Boyce, Virginia, passed away on January 13, 2026. He was 88 years old. First licensed in 1952, Kanode served on the ARRL Board of Directors for 21 years, first as Roanoke Division Vice Director, then Director, and Vice President. He was a member of the ARRL Maxim Society (President Class), a Life Member, and was named ARRL Honorary Vice President in 2003.
A remembrance from his hometown radio club, the Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club, of which he was a founding member, notes that Kanode made hundreds of thousands of contacts in his lifetime, earning nearly every top award available to amateur radio operators from every nation in the world. He attained DXCC Honor Roll, the DXCC Challenge Award, CQ DX Hall of Fame in 2000, and in 2025 he earned the latest ARRL award, the DXCC Trident.
A memorial service will be held 11 AM on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Enders & Shirley Funeral Home Chapel, Berryville, Virginia (see obituary).
Special thanks to Elizabeth Cottrell, W4EHC, and the Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club for information included in this memorial.
Read the full memorial story on ARRL News.
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| Amateur Radio in the News |
| “Ham radio hobby can be life-saving when disaster strikes” / WTKR (Virigina) January 16, 2026 — The Radio Amateur Society of Norfolk is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“Winter Field Day to put Upper Burrell ham radio club to the test in winter weather” / TRIB LIVE (Pennsylvania) January 20, 2026 — The Skyview Radio Society is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“Peoria area amateur radio operators set to test worldwide communications in wintery exercise” / WEEK (Illinois) January 21, 2026 — The Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“Ham Radio Fort Myers Field Day | Testing emergency communications, ‘When all else fails’” / Lehigh Acres Citizen (Florida) January 21, 2026 — The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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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 dives into Near Vertical Incidence Skywave Antennas and why they’re a powerhouse for dependable regional HF communications.
Up Next:
📅 Date: January 27, 2026
🕗 Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific
👉 Register Now | ⏪ Previously Recorded Sessions
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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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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
The America250 Worked All States Operating Event
This year ARRL is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by holding an all-year operating event called America 250 Worked All States. It has already started, so listen to the January 2026 On the Air podcast to learn how to jump right in. ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, explains the rules and awards, and offers some operating strategies. More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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| Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 Dayton Hamvention® awards. Awards include Technical Achievement, Special Achievement, Amateur Radio Operator of the Year, and Amateur Radio Club of the Year. Nomination forms can be found at Hamvention.org. The nomination process will close February 10. An awards ceremony will take place on Saturday May 16, with winners announced on the website and at a celebration event. This year’s Hamvention runs May 15 – 17 at the Greene County Fair and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio.
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| 2026 Winter Field Day, organized by the Winter Field Day Association, begins at 1600 UTC on Saturday, January 24 (11 AM EST), and ends at 21:59 UTC on Sunday, January 25 (4:59 PM EST). The 30-hour annual event encourages amateur radio operators to practice and improve their skills and preparedness during any kind of disaster. Stations may begin setting up no earlier than 16:00 UTC (11 AM EST) on Friday, but cumulative set-up time shall not exceed 12 hours. All amateur bands may be used except 12, 17, 30, and 60 meters, and all modes may be used except WSJT modes. There will also be transmissions of the Winter Field Day Bulletin from three US states (Alabama, Wisconsin, and California) and Ireland using various modes, times, and frequencies. Get the complete rules at winterfieldday.org.
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Now Shipping: the 2026 edition of The ARRL Repeater Directory® features over 22,000 listings powered by RepeaterBook. New for 2026 is a City Quick Find Index, making it faster and easier than ever to locate nearby repeaters. “Each year The ARRL Repeater Directory continues to set the standard for trusted repeater information, and we’re proud to see RepeaterBook data play an ongoing role in that effort,” said Garrett Dow, KD6KPC, of RepeaterBook. “Our continued partnership helps ensure the directory reflects the most current, carefully curated repeater listings available.” Order from the ARRL online store or through an ARRL publication dealer. ARRL Item No. 2332, ISBN: 978-1-62595-233-2, $22.95 retail, $19.95 member price. To order by phone call 1-888-277-5289 toll-free in the US or (860) 594-0200 during business hours.
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| John B. Johnston, W3BE, Silent Key | 1927 – 2026 [Photo courtesy of Tony Perelas, AI1U] |
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Former FCC official John B. Johnston, W3BE, of Derwood, Maryland, passed away on January 7, 2026. He was 98 years old. Born in Zanesville, Ohio, Johnson was a World War II veteran and served in the Pacific Theater. He was first licensed on March 15, 1954, as KN2HHR. Following military service and college, he worked for the General Electric Company, and then as an engineer for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He retired in 1998 as branch chief in the Private Radio Bureau specializing in the Amateur Radio Service. ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, reflected on his passing saying, “Johnny was heavily involved in the changing landscape of FCC regulations, including the implementation of the Volunteer Examiner system and ‘no-code’ amateur radio licenses. He would attend the annual NCVEC (National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators) meetings, bringing key FCC staff from DC and Gettysburg to support our work, and later volunteering for the NCVEC and its Question Pool Committee after his retirement.” Johnston often participated in the FCC Forum at Dayton Hamvention®, and was honored as Hamvention “Ham of the Year” in 1991. He held several roles for the Quarter Century Wireless Association, including President from 2004 to 2008. Johnson also authored articles for several radio publications, including QST, and was an ARRL Charter Life Member.
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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
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 courtesy of NASA/SDO January 22, 2026. |
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ARRL Solar Report January 22, 2026
Solar activity reached moderate levels with two M-class flares earlier this week.
The first flares occurred on January 21 in regions 4345 and 4349. Region 4345 continued to show development, as well as region 4342 . Region 4341 was a main contributor to the C-level activity of the day, including a larger C-class flare on January 21. A new active region is rotating into the visible disk from the southeast limb and produced a C5.2 flare on January 21. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in the available coronagraph imagery.
Solar activity is likely to be at moderate (R1/R2, minor/moderate) levels, with a slight chance for X-class flares (R3-strong) on January 22-24, primarily due to the magnetic potential of Regions 4341, 4342 and 4345.
Solar wind parameters reflected coronal mass ejection (CME) influence transitioning into a high-speed stream paradigm, with the interplanetary magnetic field returned to largely enhanced background levels. Solar wind speeds gradually decreased from about 800 km/s to 575 km/s at the end of the day. Phi angle remained in the positive solar sector (away from the Sun), indicating the coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS ) dominant influence over the period. Solar wind parameters near Earth are expected to be dominated by the CH HSS conditions in the next three days.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: January 22, 175; January 23 – 24, 180; January 25, 175; January 26, 170; January 27, 165; January 28, 160; January 29, 165.
Predicted sunspots: January 22, 122; January 23, 117; January 24, 128; January 25, 113; January 26, 113; January 27, 110; January 28, 138.
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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- January 23 – 25 — CQ 160m Contest (CW)
- January 24 – 25 — REF Contest (CW)
- January 24 – 25 — BARTG RTTY Sprint (digital)
- January 24 – 25 — Winter Field Day (CW, phone, digital)
- January 25 – 26 — Australia Day Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- January 28 — SKCC Sprint (CW)
- January 28 — UKEICC 80m Contest (CW)
- January 29 — NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)
- January 31 — UBA DX Contest (SSB)
- February 1 — North American SSB Sprint Contest (phone)
- February 3 — ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
- February 4 — UKEICC 80m Contest (CW)
- February 5 – 6 — Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
- February 7 – 8 — LABRE-RS Digi Contest (digital)
- February 7 – 8 — Vermont QSO Party (FT8)
- February 7 – 8 — 10-10 Winter International Winter Contest, SSB (phone)
- February 7 – 8 — F9AA Cup (CW)
- February 7 – 8 — European Union DX Contest (CW, phone)
- February 7 – 8 — Mexico RTTY International Contest (digital)
- February 7 – 8 –Minnesota QSO Party (CW, phone)
- February 7 – 8 — FYBO Winter QRP Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
- February 7 – 8 — British Columbia QSO Party (CW, phone)
- February 7 – 8 — North American Sprint (CW)
- February 9 – 13 — School Club Roundup (CW, phone, digital)
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| Remember to visit the ARRL Contest Calendar for more events and information.
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| Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
- January 30 – 31 | Jackson MS Capital City Hamfest, ARRL Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
- February 7 | Hendricks County Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Indiana Section Convention, Danville, Indiana
- February 13 – 15 | Orlando HamCation, hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
- February 20 – 21 | Greater Houston HamFest, hosting the ARRL Texas State Convention, Rosenberg, Texas
- February 27 – 28 | ARRL Southwestern Division Convention, Yuma Arizona
- February 28 | HAM-CON, ARRL Vermont State Convention, Colchester, Vermont
- March 6 – 7 | BirmingHAMfest, hosting the ARRL Alabama Section Convention, Trussville, Alabama
- March 15 | WINTERFEST 2026 – The National Capital Area Ham Radio Fair, ARRL Virginia State Convention, Vienna, Virginia
- March 21 | St. Patrick’s Day Hamfest, hosting the ARRL West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database to find events in your area.
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| Have News for ARRL?
Submissions for The ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to news@arrl.org. — John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor
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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.
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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!
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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 © 2026 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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