The ARRL Letter for April 9, 2026 undefined

 

 

 

The ARRL Letter

 

, Editor | April 9, 2026

 

In this Issue:

 

2026 ARRL Field Day Merch Now Shipping—Celebrate America250 with a Commemorative Design

Field Day is approaching fast...and so is the 4th of July! Stock up on official 2026 ARRL Field Day merchandise and own a piece of history with this year’s patriotic red, white, and blue design honoring America’s 250th anniversary.

 

 

ARRL Field Day, June 27–28, is amateur radio’s largest on-the-air event and part of the nationwide America250 celebration. This year’s theme, “Amateur Radio: A National Resource,” highlights the vital role ham radio plays in public service, emergency communications, and connecting communities. Whether you plan to operate as a group, with a friend, or simply visit a local site—there’s no better time to get ready.

 

The 2026 Field Day collection is now shipping and includes t-shirts, hats, mugs, pins, patches, stickers, notebooks, banners, recruitment posters, and more. The t-shirt lists ARRL and RAC sections on the back—a fun way to track contacts. Comfortable, durable, and unisex, it’s ideal for both Field Day and Fourth of July celebrations.

 

Be among the first to shop the collection at and celebrate Field Day in style.

 

For rules, resources, and the latest information, visit .

 

The America 250 word mark and logo are trademarks of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and are used under license.

 

 

Elecraft Donates Station to W1AW

Visitors to Studio 3 at W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station at ARRL Headquarters, can now operate a new station equipped with a K4D transceiver and a KPA1500 amplifier.

 

W1AW visitors can now operate the new Elecraft station which includes the K4D transceiver, KPA1500 amplifier, and accessories.

 

Elecraft Co-founder Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, visited ARRL Headquarters on April 7, 2026, to present the station. CEO David Minster, NA2AA, expressed appreciation to Swartz and Elecraft, noting that the new station enhances operating opportunities for visitors to W1AW.

 

(Left photo) ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, (left) looks on as Elecraft Co-founder Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, tunes the newly donated K4D/KPA1500 station in Studio 3 at W1AW. (Right photo) Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, stands beneath the iconic W1AW pediment at the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station. [Gregory Sulla, KC1YNI, photos]

 

The station includes Elecraft’s with built-in KAT4 automatic antenna tuner, , along with accessories including the K-Pod control panel, KPAK3AUX cable interface, MH4 hand microphone, and SP4 speakers.

 

“We’re pleased to support ARRL and W1AW with this station,” said Swartz. “We’re glad members and other visitors will have the opportunity to get on the air using Elecraft gear.”

 

 

During his visit, Swartz also met with ARRL Senior Lab Engineer Rick Ciervo, W1CIE, and Digital RF Engineer John McAuliffe, W1DRF. Swartz is a key member of the ARRL Clean Signal Initiative (CSI) Working Group, which is developing technical standards to improve transmitter and amplifier signal purity. CSI is a program of the ARRL Technical Standards Committee.

 

Read the on ARRL News.

 

 

Amateur Radio on Display!

The (YARC) in Prescott, Arizona, has found a new way to help make amateur radio attractive to, well, just about everyone!

 

Club Public Information Officer (PIO) Fernando Mendigutia, KJ7QHI, said it all started with an idea from club member and ARRL Life Member Jim Zimmerman, N6KZ.

 

“Jim knew about a display area in the Prescott Public Library that had been used by the Red Cross and for model train displays, said Mendigutia. “So he figured why not ask if he could bring in amateur radio equipment and put it on display...bringing new meaning to the phrase, “Location, location, location!”

 

Mendigutia then contacted the library and completed the paperwork. Zimmerman chose a location that was near the public use computer area, where many young patrons spent a lot of their time! With the help of Club President Byron Wilkinson, WD7J, and Mendigutia, they moved Zimmerman’s collection of vintage ham radio equipment to the display area. Mendigutia, an experienced photographer, took pictures, made charts and other display information.

 

“There are many patrons, young and old, who took time to view the display,” said Mendigutia, accompanied by many “WOW moments.”

 

A close look at the vintage amateur radio equipment in the display case

 

The display is open until the end of April to help tell the story of amateur radio and how it can help the entire community.

 

The Yavapai Amateur Radio Club is the largest club in Arizona with 300 members and is an . Its mission statement reads: “Increasing our members’ knowledge, mastery and enjoyment of amateur radio communication while serving the Yavapai County community by assisting in emergencies and public service events.” The club plans to host its annual hamfest on May 30, 2026, at a local high school.

 

 

Radio Clubs Activate in April for 2026 World Amateur Radio Day

World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) 2026 is just a week away – April 18 – when radio amateurs and their national societies worldwide celebrate the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris, France. Hiram Percy Maxim, co-founder of ARRL, served as its first president. Since its founding, ARRL has served as the IARU International Secretariat.

 

 

ARRL is encouraging radio clubs to use World Amateur Radio Day, or any time during the month of April, to host a Ham Radio Open House. Unlike ARRL Field Day, a Ham Radio Open House is designed to showcase your club’s station and promote amateur radio science and technology to the public. Already, two dozen stations have added their events to the Ham Radio Open House Station Locator at .

 

Visit for ideas and activities to engage your community or school radio club in World Amateur Radio Day and Ham Radio Open House.

 

Ham Radio Open House highlights the Amateur Radio Service as a platform for developing and practicing modern radio communications techniques and technology — and as a hands-on pathway into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for the next generation.

 

Here are a few ways to participate in and promote World Amateur Radio Day:

  • Get a station on the air
  • Set up in public places (with permission), like libraries, science museums, and makerspaces
  • Include outdoor activities such as Parks on the Air (POTA) activations, satellite operating, and foxhunts
  • Create and hold a special net, or simply get on the air, during World Amateur Radio Day, from Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 0000 UTC, to Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 0000 UTC
  • Get the word out! If you are an ARRL Public Information Coordinator, Public Information Officer, or responsible for club publicity, send a press release and conduct outreach to highlight the day and your events

 

 

Register Now for the 2026 ARRL Youth Rally at Dayton Hamvention®

Get ready for amateur radio’s biggest annual gathering! ® 2026 will take place May 15 – 17 at the Greene County Fair and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio.

 

General Chairman Brian Markland, N8UDQ, said volunteers are working hard to make this the best show yet. This year’s theme is Radio Adventure.

 

“Radio Adventure has always been about exploration — of ideas, technologies, distances, and possibilities. From the earliest spark-gap pioneers to today’s digital experimenters, satellite operators, contesters, emergency communicators, and outdoor enthusiasts, amateur radio continues to be a gateway to discovery,” said Markland.

 

ARRL Youth Rally participants at 2025 Dayton Hamvention®. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]

 

Among the activities taking place is the , returning on Saturday, May 16. The rally is designed for students ages 11 to 21 and offers a great opportunity to connect with other young hams. Youth Rally activities will be led by ARRL Director of Education and Learning Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, and volunteers from the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program (CARP).

 

is recommended. While Hamvention admission is already free for students (high school and younger), the $20 Youth Rally registration fee includes a T-shirt (to be worn on Saturday), badge and lanyard, reusable tote bag, and a complimentary three-day Hamvention admission ticket (Friday through Sunday).

 

Students will enjoy an afternoon of hands-on activities, learning, and fun. Highlights include satellite communications, a short sprint contest, a fox hunt, and a chance to make contact with a parachute-mobile station. Attendees are encouraged to bring a 2-meter handheld radio if you have one.

 

The Youth Rally will be followed by the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Meetup.

 

For more information about the Youth Rally and registration, and to find other ARRL activities and exhibits at Hamvention, visit . For Hamvention information and general admission tickets, visit .

 

 

ARRL Announces Change in Central Division Leadership

Joshua Long, W9HT, is the new ARRL Central Division Director.

Brent Walls, N9BA, has resigned as ARRL Central Division Director, citing professional and personal commitments. He served as Director since 2025, and before that as Vice Director beginning in 2021.

 

“Serving in the capacity of Division Director has been a truly rewarding experience and the highlight of my amateur radio journey,” said Walls in a message to ARRL members in the Division. “Whether supporting emergency communications, fostering technical growth, or strengthening our community connections, the ARRL plays an important part, and I am proud to have been part of it.”

 

Consistent with ARRL’s governing documents, Joshua Long, W9HT, of New Haven, Indiana, who has served as Vice Director since 2025, has assumed the office of Central Division Director, effective immediately. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, will appoint a successor as Vice Director for the remaining term, which expires in 2027.

 

The Central Division includes Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. ARRL is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Elections are held for five of the 15 ARRL Divisions each year, for terms of 3 years.

 

 

Amateur Radio in the News

“” / The Daily Courrier (Pennsylvania) April 2, 2026 -- The Uniontown Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

 

ARRL Live Events and Podcasts

On the Air LIVE

Join ARRL's Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he discusses and demonstrates how to use Software Defined Radios. Whether you are curious about using the SDR to explore the RF spectrum or looking to integrate them into your home station, this session will break down the basics and show you how to get started. He will demonstrate how to monitor the amateur bands, air band, and some very interesting things you can monitor on the HF bands. You can catch On the Air Live on the ARRL's learning center, , on April 28th, at 8pm Eastern. Pre-registration is required and can be accomplished on the Learning Center.

 

📅 Date: April 28, 2026

🕗 Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific

👉 | ⏪

 

 

ARRL Audio News

Listen to , 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. | | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.

 

 

On the Air

Sponsored by Icom

 

Journey to a Hamfest

 

Brian D. Karcher, KG5GJT, joins the podcast in support of his March/April 2026 On the Air article, “Journey to a Hamfest.” If you haven’t been to a hamfest or ham radio convention yet, listen in to find out what to expect — from operating, to shopping, to meeting old friends and making new ones! | | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.

 

Announcements

The following America250 W1AW Portable Activations begin 0000z on Wednesdays, and end 2359z on Tuesdays (7 days total for each activation). See the complete schedule at .

 

04/08/2026 Washington W1AW/7 (host W7MKE)

04/08/2026 New Mexico W1AW/5 (host KA8JMW)

04/15/2026 Delaware W1AW/3 (host KC3DSO)

04/15/2026 Idaho W1AW/7 (host ND7L)

 

The Department of Defense will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test, scheduled for May 9, 2026. This annual event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators and will not impact any public or private communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event, which is an interoperability exercise between hobbyist and government radio stations. The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly controlled exercise scenario. Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All times are ZULU (Z), and all frequencies are upper sideband (USB) unless otherwise noted. An AFD message will be transmitted utilizing the Military Standard (MIL-STD) Serial PSK waveform (M110) followed by MIL-STD Wide Shift FSK (850 Hz RTTY) as described in MILSTD 188-110A/B. Technical information regarding these waveforms is provided at:

 

To document your contacts with a QSL visit:

and complete the request form.

 

In Brief...

ARRL will be represented at the NSTA National Conference on Science Education () in Anaheim, California, April 15 – 18, 2026, engaging K–20 educators at one of the nation’s largest science teaching conferences. ARRL Director of Education and Learning Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, will be on-hand to recruit teachers for the (TI) and to promote ARRL’s new STEM curriculum, highlighting the value of wireless technology and amateur radio in advancing hands-on science education. Applications for summer and fall TI sessions are being accepted now.

 

As the nation prepares to celebrate National Train Day on Saturday, May 9, 2026, the (FMARC) is gearing up for a high-tech, and high-heritage, celebration at the . To mark the occasion, the club will be on-site and on the air, transmitting in Morse code — an homage to the historic role of telegraphy in railway operations. Operations will be from 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM Eastern and everyone will have an opportunity to explore the rich history of the museum while witnessing Morse code (CW) transmissions reminiscent of the telegraph's heyday. Licensed operators will also demonstrate modern voice and digital communication options. The event also serves as a tribute to the innovators who made rail travel safe and efficient and commemorates the driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, which marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

 

 

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:

 

Awards Program Supervisor

Membership Manager

RFI Lab Engineer

Public Relations and Outreach Manager

 

Full details may be found on the ARRL HR web page at .

 

ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.

 

 

 

 

 

The ARRL Solar Report

New solar disk image courtesy of NASA/SDO, April 9, 2026

ARRL Solar Report April 9, 2026

Solar activity remained at low levels, with the largest flare of the past 24 hours being a C8.9 on April 8 from Region 4414, which was accompanied by Type-III radio bursts. Most of the C-class activity came from either this region or Region 4409, which has developed a delta spot in its intermediary area. All remaining spots were either stable or in slight decay, with Region 4406 rotating over the west limb by the end of the reporting period.

 

Coronal activity was observed in CCOR-1, LASCO and STEREO available imagery during the period. Of the four eruptions, one was far-sided, one was too narrow plus too far north of the ecliptic to have any Earth-directed component, and two had the potential for Earth-directed components. These eruptions were seen off the eastern limb in LASCO C2 starting on April 7 and April 8. The first was associated with a C2.4 flare from Region 4414 while there was no clear source for the second. Modeling indicates these eruptions will pass behind Earth’s orbit and no impact is anticipated. Eruptions potentially associated with the C8.9 are currently being analyzed.

 

Solar activity is expected to be at low levels over April 9 -11, with a chance for M-class (R1-R2/minor-moderate) flares and a slight chance for X-class (R3/strong or greater) flares, driven primarily by the flare potential of Regions 4409 and 4414.

 

Solar wind parameters reflected the transition out of a waning negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) into nominal conditions. Wind speeds continued to decline from a peak of ~500 km/s to near 400 km/s by the end of the period. Solar wind parameters are anticipated to return to nominal conditions on April 9, before becoming disturbed on April 10 due to the anticipated arrival of a corotating interaction region (CIR) ahead of a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream.

 

The 10.7-centimeter flux: April 9, 111; April 10, 108; April 11, 106; April 12, 105; April 13, 108; April 14, 110; April 15, 115

 

Predicted sunspot numbers; April 9, 109; April 10, 104; April 11, 115; April 12, 101, April 13, 119; April 14, 119; April 15, 95

 

For more information concerning radio propagation, the ARRL Technical Information Service, read , and the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.

 

For customizable propagation charts, visit the .

 

 

Just Ahead in Radiosport

  • April 11 -- QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party (CW)
  • April 11 - 12 -- JIDX CW Contest (CW)
  • April 11 - 12 -- DIG QSO Party (CW
  • April 11 - 12 -- Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest (CW, phone)
  • April 11 - 12 -- OK/OM DX Contest, SSB (phone)
  • April 11 - 12 -- RSGB FT4 International Activity Day (digital
  • April 11 - 12 -- IG-RY World Wide RTTY Contest (digital)
  • April 11 - 12 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
  • April 11 - 12 -- New Mexico QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 11 - 12 -- Missouri QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 11 - 12 -- North Dakota QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 11 - 12 -- Georgia QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • April 13 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
  • April 13 - 14 -- 144 MHz Spring Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 15 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)
  • April 16 - 17 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
  • April 17 - 20 -- Florida State Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 17 - 18 -- World Wide Holyland Contest (CW, phone)

 

Remember to visit the for more events and information.

 

 

Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

Remember to search the Database to find events in your area.

 

Save the Date

 

Have News for ARRL?

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