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| FCC Requires That FRN Contact Information Be Updated Within Ten Days of a Change |
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ARRL reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted changes to its rules to require that every holder of an FCC Registration Number (FRN) update their contact information in the CORES system (email and postal addresses) within ten business days of a change.
Because every FCC licensee—including amateur radio operators—must have an FRN to file applications, this requirement applies to all licensed amateurs. FRN contact information is handled separately and apart from contact information related to a license in the License Manager System. Both records must be kept up-to-date, and each requires a separate update.
Until now, no specific deadline existed for updating FRN or license contact information. Instead, the amateur rules at sections 97.21 and 97.23 provide that a license may be suspended or revoked “if FCC correspondence is returned as undeliverable because of an incorrect address/email.” These provisions remain in effect as well as the 10-day deadline applicable to FRN information.
If your FRN information is current and has not changed, no immediate action is required, but you must adhere to the 10-day rule for future changes. It is recommended to periodically check both the CORES and License Manager Systems to ensure contact information is accurate, even if no changes have occurred.
The new deadline [section 1.8002(b)(2) of the Commission’s Rules] became effective on February 5 as part of a proceeding that was limited to further constraining robocalls. Although the proceeding focused on robocall issues, the 10-day update requirement applies broadly to all FRN holders. On February 6 the FCC confirmed in a Public Notice that the new deadline applies to all FRN holders. The amendment replaces language adopted in 2001 that required FRN holders to keep their contact information up-to-date but had not imposed a deadline for doing so.
Numerous requests for clarification from non-robocaller interests led the FCC to issue a Public Notice on February 6 (see also PDF) clarifying that fines imposed on those subject to the robocall rules for not keeping contact information up-to-date do NOT apply to licensees such as radio amateurs, but that the 10-day deadline does apply to all FRN holders.
See the following resources for updating FRN and license information.
FCC Tutorial on updating FRN information:
https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/html/Update_FRN_Information.htm
ARRL information on how to update license information:
https://www.arrl.org/call-sign-renewals-or-changes
For assistance, call the FCC FRN Help Desk: (877) 480-3201 (available 8 AM to 6 PM ET).
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| 2025 ARRL Sweepstakes Icom Dream Station Winner Announced at Orlando HamCation® |
| ARRL announced the winner of the 2025 ARRL Sweepstakes Icom® Dream Station on Saturday, February 14, at 2026 Orlando HamCation. The announcement was made by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, with Icom America Senior Sales Manager Ray Novak, N9JA.
The ARRL Sweepstakes ran from January 3 to December 31, 2025, as the centerpiece of a year-long membership drive designed to encourage new members to join and current members to renew their support.
Congratulations to Lee Warren, KI5YDR
Roderick announced that the ARRL Sweepstakes winner is member Lee Warren, KI5YDR, of Honolulu, Hawaii.
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| ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR (middle), with Icom America Senior Sales Manager Ray Novak, N9JA (left), announced that the sweepstakes was won by member Lee Warren, KI5YDR (right), of Honolulu, Hawaii. |
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Warren earned his amateur radio license in 2022 after thinking about the value of having radios available in case of a disaster. “With all the research I was doing, I realized I might as well get my Technician license,” he said. He upgraded to General Class in 2023 so he could operate KH6BB, the radio room aboard the USS Missouri museum ship in Pearl Harbor.
His first contact was with a Parks on the Air® (POTA) operator at Lake Mead, Nevada. Now, he’s learning Morse code so he can operate using the keys once used by his grandfather, Thomas Lee “Buddy” Dykes (SK, 2000).
Roderick and Novak congratulated Warren via Zoom from the convention floor. “I’m very excited about winning the sweepstakes — especially since I was going to renew my ARRL membership anyway,” Warren said. “The publications and public outreach are great, but the real value for me is knowing that an organized, motivated group of people are lobbying Congress to make sure we keep the airwaves free enough for the hobby to thrive. I also appreciate Icom’s donation of the prize to help keep ARRL top of mind for my fellow hams and future licensees.”
Icom Dream Station Prize
Warren received the grand prize “Dream Station” featuring the latest amateur radio equipment, generously donated by Icom America:
- IC-7760 HF/50 MHz 200 W Transceiver – Icom 60th Anniversary Signature Edition, which also includes a limited-edition Seiko watch commemorating Icom’s anniversary
- IC-PW2 1 kW Linear Amplifier
- SM-50 Advanced Desktop Microphone
Watch the winner announcement on YouTube
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| The winner, Lee Warren, KI5YDR, received 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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| ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA (left), presented recognition awards to Icom America Inc. and Senior Sales Manager Ray Novak, N9JA, for their generous support of ARRL, including the 2025 ARRL Membership Drive. The presentation was made at the 2025 Huntsville Hamfest in August. |
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Board of Directors Recognizes Icom America and Ray Novak
In recognition of the extraordinary support behind the 2025 membership drive, the ARRL Board of Directors formally honored Icom America Inc. and Ray Novak, N9JA.
The Board expressed its sincere gratitude for Icom’s donation of the complete amateur radio station and acknowledged Novak’s instrumental role in making the contribution possible. The Board also noted Icom’s ongoing partnership to strengthen ARRL’s mission and help ensure a vibrant future for amateur radio.
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| Ham Radio Helped During Hawai’i Severe Weather |
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While most of the contiguous US states were experiencing severe winter weather over the past two weeks, Honolulu, Hawai’i had a different kind of severe weather and amateur radio was ready.
On February 8 – 9, 2026, severe weather brought high winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, power outages, and hazardous surf conditions across Honolulu and the State of Hawai’i. The National Weather Service predicted that heavy rain, flash flooding, and damaging winds would affect all islands. Officials warned of possible flooding, hazardous travel, and power outages. Both Governor Josh Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi issued emergency proclamations to mobilize resources and protect public safety.
Amateur radio operators were activated inside the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to support the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), City and County of Honolulu. Volunteer communicators operators reported in and stood ready to provide backup communications should cellular or internet systems fail. They joined statewide HF nets at 9:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, and 4:00 PM on 7.090 MHz (LSB) and updated and posted the ICS-205 Communications Plan on HawaiiARES.net for download and offline reference.
The storm hit with 70-mph winds, knocked down trees, and dumped 30 inches of rain and mountain snow.
Radio traffic remained light, though, as outages were quickly addressed through coordinated efforts between city and state agencies and utility partners. Shelters and volunteers remained ready in case conditions worsened. This wasn’t a drill and amateur radio operators were prepared to move quickly and efficiently.
“It was encouraging to work alongside such engaged and supportive leadership from the department management,” said Deputy RACES Program Coordinator Michael Miller, KH6ML. “Their awareness of our role in a larger grey or black sky event ensures the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) remains fully integrated into emergency operations.”
Mark Kaku, KH6LT, coordinated amateur radio operations inside the EOC. “Our goal is simple, be ready before we’re needed. We focus on coverage, documentation, and coordination so that if primary systems fail, we can immediately step in.”
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You have probably heard about POTA – Parks on the Air®, and SOTA – Summits on the Air. Well, now there’s BOTA, Bunkers on the Air!!
Officially known as WWBOTA — Worldwide Bunkers on the Air — it is an amateur radio activity open to amateur radio operators and shortwave listeners everywhere. Similar to its counterparts, radio amateurs ‘activate’ historic bunker locations around the world with portable and mobile operations. Bunkers are fortified shelters, usually underground, used for protection against attacks and for storage of military goods. Hunters and chasers can have QSOs with those activating stations and can collect special ‘bunker reference’ numbers. Awards for activating and hunting bunkers are available but you can get involved by just making a QSO or shortwave listening.
There are 20 member countries in the BOTA program so far, with two new countries added in February as membership continues to grow. USBOTA joined WWBOTA on January 7, 2026.
Most bunker operations center on 40- and 20-meter SSB, but other bands are increasingly popular, including the higher HF bands, VHF, and above. CW, FT8 and other modes are also popular, including SSB, FT4, RTTY, PSK, and SSTV.
“CQ Bunkers on the Air” is the official calling signal and USBOTA offers three awards:
• Activator – Lifetime Award
• Activator’s Lifetime Bunker-to-Bunker Award (all bands)
• Activator – Annual Reference Award
There will be USBOTA National Awards coming in March 2026.
A lot of history is involved with BOTA activations from inside, outside and nearby.
For more information, visit WWBOTA – Worldwide Bunkers on the Air.
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| New Book Release: Digital Networking for Ham Radio |
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ARRL’s new book, Digital Networking for Ham Radio, a practical, hands-on guide to designing and implementing high-speed data networks for amateur radio stations, is now shipping.
Written by Glen Popiel, KW5GP, the book brings together in one comprehensive resource the knowledge needed to build, configure, and expand digital networks for ham radio. From TCP/IP fundamentals to deploying mesh technologies such as AREDN®, HamWAN, and Meshtastic®, readers will find clear explanations and step-by-step guidance.
“When I began experimenting with amateur radio data networking, I realized there wasn’t a single resource that clearly explained how it all works — especially TCP/IP in terms the average ham could relate to,” said Popiel. “That inspired me to create a practical guide to designing and implementing high-speed amateur radio networks. Since there’s no speed limit above 70 centimeters, operators can integrate webcams, IP phones, and other networked devices. I hope this book encourages hams to explore, experiment, and enjoy networking on the microwave bands.”
Digital Networking for Ham Radio covers selecting hardware, choosing network topologies, configuring systems, and staying compliant with FCC Part 97 rules. The book is designed for both newcomers and experienced operators who want to expand their stations with resilient, high-speed networking capabilities.
Digital Networking for Ham Radio is now shipping. Order from the ARRL online store or through an ARRL publication dealer. ARRL Item No. 2349, ISBN: 978-1-62595-234-9, $29.95 ARRL member price, $34.95 retail.
For additional questions or ordering, call 1-888-277-5289 toll-free in the US, Monday through Thursday 8 AM to 7 PM and Friday 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time. Outside the US, call (860) 594-0200.
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| 3YØK DXpedition Back on Track |
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The latest DXpedition to Bouvet Island, 3YØK, is back on track after a 2-week delay for mechanical repairs to its ship, the Argus. Team Media Manager James Gallo, KB2FMH, confirmed reports from earlier this week that the ship had arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, and was being loaded with the expedition’s equipment. The team of 24 operators includes 22-year-old Max Freedman, N4ML, an ARRL staff member.
In an earlier statement on the 3YØK website, the team leadership explained that “Our vessel requires additional maintenance to ensure it is fully prepared for the demanding voyage to one of the most remote and challenging locations on Earth.” The announcement added that “While this delay is disappointing, the safety of our team remains our highest priority. The adjustment does not change the overall strategy of the DXpedition, which has been carefully planned over the past three years.”
Gallo says the ship will head out soon and that arrival time will be weather-dependent. Updates will be posted on the expedition website, www.3y0k.com.
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| Amateur Radio in the News |
| “Ham radio operators bridge UP200 communications” / WLUC (Michigan) February 14, 2026 — 60 amateur radio operators monitor 15 road crossings in the UP200 – 200 mile dog sled race.
“Amateur radio station keeps Columbiana students connected” / Morning Journal (Ohio) February 19, 2026 — The Columbiana Clippers Amateur Radio and Electronics Club.
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| ARRL Live Events and 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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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
Repeater Basics
The On the Air podcast goes back to basics in the February 2026 episode, when QST Technical Editor Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH, joins the podcast to discuss what repeaters are, how they work, and what you need in order to access your local repeater. More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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| NCVEC Question Pool Committee Issues Revision to 2026 – 2030 Technician Pool
The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) Question Pool Committee (QPC) has released a February 19, 2026, revision to the new 2026 – 2030 Technician Class question pool. Questions drawn from that pool are valid for exams given on, or after, July 1, 2026.
The revision includes minor wording clarifications to four questions in the pool. The revised questions are:
These updated questions have been incorporated into the published Technician question pool documents and are available on the NCVEC website at www.ncvec.org/index.php/2026-2030-technician-question-pool. The 2026 – 2030 Technician question pool will be in effect from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030. The current Technician Pool is only valid through June 30, 2026.
The ARRL VEC advises the amateur radio community to regularly check the NCVEC website at www.ncvec.org for updates to the question pools, which may include errata and withdrawn questions.
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| The World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, Inc. (WWROF) announced that it has assumed responsibility for WRTC.info, the long-standing community website dedicated to preserving the history of the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC). WRTC is an on-site ham radio competition held every two-to-six years. Previous WRTCs have been held in Seattle (1990), San Francisco (1996), Slovenia (2000), Finland (2002), Brazil (2006), Russia (2010), Boston (2014), Germany (2018), and Italy (2023). The next competition will take place this July in the United Kingdom. WRTC event information is in many places on the internet and the website is dedicated to collecting information from all WRTC events. “This site matters,” said Doug Grant, K1DG, WWROF Vice Chair and Secretary of the WRTC Sanctioning Committee. “WRTC.info has become the most complete public record of WRTC, how the events were run, who participated, and how the competition has evolved. Ensuring that history is preserved accurately and responsibly is important to the entire radiosport community, and WWROF is pleased to help provide continuity for that work.”
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| Join the GERATOL Net special event celebrating over 55 years of service. Station N1KL in Wheelwright, Massachusetts, will be in operation every evening March 3 – 14, 2026, 0001Z-2359Z, on the net frequency of 3.668 MHz. A QSL card will be available. The GERATOL Net is a Worked All States (WAS) net for Extra Class operators. Its purpose is to help amateur radio operators obtain the award affectionately known as the Unbelievable Operating Achievement Award, which is a variation of the ARRL WAS Award for working all 50 US states with hams holding two-letter Extra Class call signs on 75 meters. More information is available at geratol.net.
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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:
Operations Administrative Assistant
Membership Manager
RFI Lab Engineer
Public Relations and Outreach Manager
IT Support Specialist
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 February 19, 2026. |
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ARRL Solar Report February 19, 2026
Solar activity returned to low levels this past week. The strongest event of the period was a C1.8 flare on February 17 from region 4374. This region was also responsible for a C1.4 flare on February 18. The only other flare of note was a C1.1 flare on February 17 from an unnumbered plage region near S05E85. Region 4374 exhibited minor decay through the dissipation of its trailing spots. Regions 4375 and 4377 were largely unchanged in area and complexity.
A large filament eruption beyond the southwest limb was seen in SDO and SUVI imagery starting approximately February 18. It was associated with a Type II radio sweep that began on February 18 with an estimated shock velocity of 310 km/s. The eruption was first visible in coronagraph imagery on February 18 but initial analysis indicates no Earth-directed component. Solar activity is forecast to be at low levels, with a slight chance for M-class (R1-R2/minor-moderate) flares through February 20.
Solar wind parameters continued to reflect the waning influence of a positive polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (+ CH HSS). Solar wind speed followed a general declining trend, decreasing from an initial peak near 600 km/s to approximately 500 km/s by the end of the reporting period. The solar wind environment is expected to remain enhanced through February 20 due to continued but weakening CH HSS influences.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: February 19 – 20, 110; February 21, 105: February 22,120; February 23, 130; February 24, 135; February 15, 130.
Predicted sunspots: February 19, 120; February 20, 116; February 21, 125; February 22, 112; February 23, 131; February 24, 108; February 25, 135.
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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- February 19 – 20 — Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
- February 21 – 22 — ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
- February 21 – 22 — REF Contest SSB (phone)
- February 21 – 22 — South Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
- February 21 — Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
- February 22 — World Wide Argentina DX Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- February 22 — High Speed Club CW Contest (CW)
- February 23 — RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
- February 25 — SKCC Sprint (CW)
- February 25 — UKEICC 80m Contest (CW)
- February 27 – March 1 — CQ 160-Meter Contest SSB (phone)
- February 28 – March 1 — UBA DX Contest (CW)
- February 28 – March 1 — North American QSO Party RTTY (digital)
- February 28 – March 1 — NA Collegiate Championship RTTY (digital)
- March 1 — NSARA Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- March 1 – 2 –North Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
- March 3 — ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
- March 3 — AGCW YL-CW Party (CW)
- March 4 — UKEICC 80m Contest (phone)
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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 |
- 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
- March 28 | Central Dakota Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, hosting the ARRL North Dakota State Convention, Bismarck, North Dakota
- April 4 | RARSfest, hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
- April 10 – 11 | Green Country Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma
- April 18 | Delmarva Amateur Radio and Electronics Expo, hosting the ARRL Delaware State Convention
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database to find events in your area.
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- March 14 – 15 | HamSCI 2026 Workshop, hosted by ARRL in New Britain & Newington, Connecticut
- April 4 | RARSfest, hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
- May 15 – 17 | Dayton Hamvention, Xenia, Ohio
- June 5 – 7 | SEA-PAC, hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon
- June 26 – 28 | HAM RADIO, International Amateur Radio Exhibition, Friedrichshafen, Germany
- August 7 – 8 | Shreveport-Bossier Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Delta Division Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana
- August 13 – 16 | Northeast HamXposition, ARRL New England Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts
- August 15 | Cincinnati Hamfest℠, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention
- August 22 – 23 | Huntsville Hamfest, hosting the 2026 ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, Alabama
- October 10 | North Star Radio Convention, hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
- October 16 – 18 | Pacificon, ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California
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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 © 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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