The ARRL Letter for April 23, 2026 undefined

 

 

 

The ARRL Letter

 

, Editor | April 23, 2026

 

In this Issue:

 

Dayton Hamvention® 2026 Offers Forums for Every Ham

Dayton Hamvention 2026 features a wide range of forums to appeal to amateur radio operators of all interests, experience levels, and ages. The Hamvention Forums Committee has assembled a diverse lineup covering technical topics, operating skills, and emerging interest areas.

 

On opening day, Friday, May 15, there are 22 forums beginning at 9:15 AM with HamSCI: The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation. Learn about the Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance Project, a version of the Personal Space Weather Station that you can build from scratch, Meteor Scatter QSO Party Results, and an upcoming collaboration with a NASA mission. The moderator is Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF.

 

Another forum on Friday morning is Lightning Protection, Generators, Inverters and RFI, moderated by Jim Bacher, WB8VSU, and Gary Bishop, NQØV.

 

At 11 AM, ARRL is sponsoring Salty Walt’s Portable Antenna Forum. “Salty Walt” Hudson, K4OGO, will cover simple, effective, antennas you can build and take to a park, beach, or summit, and make contacts around the world! He’ll also be signing copies of his newest book in the ARRL exhibit area.

 

 

Among the other forums on Friday is TAPR - Topics in Digital Radio, the Antenna Forum moderated by Tim Duffy, K3LR, and Arduino and Microcontrollers - Going the Distance, with popular ARRL author Glen Popiel, KW5GP.

 

Young hams will want to start off Saturday morning with the Youth Forum, sponsored by the Radio Club of America, at 9:15 AM. Student presenters include Webelos Scout Adam Grubb, KF8EKW, who is currently building a 70-centimeter EME station for his school science project. Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, will share his interests in satellites, home brew antennas, and simple soldering kits. Other young presenters and panelists include Haley Pendell, KE2EVX; Maggie Dill, KR4FTN; Anderson Ray, K4RAY, and Violetta Latham, KN2P.

 

Young hams can also join in some Saturday afternoon fun with the ARRL Youth Rally Activities scheduled from 1 – 4 PM. is recommended for those students ages 11 to 21 who want this year’s Youth Rally T-shirt and badge. An ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Meetup will follow the Youth Rally at 4 PM.

 

An ARRL Membership Forum on Saturday at 11 AM will include updates on outreach to students and educators, momentum behind the Year of the Club, ARRL’s partnership with America250, and current legislative advocacy efforts shaping the future of amateur radio. The forum will be moderated by ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Scott Yonally, N8SY, with presentations from ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA.

 

A handful of DX-themed forums on Saturday include The 3Y0K Bouvet DXpedition, Desecheo 2026 DXpedition: First All Solar-Powered Unattended DXpedition, and a forum with Brian Bathe, AD8FD, and Paul Ewing, N6PSE, exploring the lessons learned from DXing in adverse conditions.

 

Among the forums on Sunday is POTA Hacks: Little Things Add Up to Big Success, moderated by Michael Martens, KB9VBR, who will share some of his favorite Parks on the Air operating tips and hacks. Other forums will cover 3D printing for ham radio uses, the HF digital modes, and mastering CW.

 

2026 runs May 15 – 17 in Xenia, Ohio, and many more forums are spread throughout the weekend. See the entire lineup and schedule at . The ARRL Events app will include the full Hamvention program by the end of the month. Use it to browse the schedule of forums, find affiliated events, and preview the extensive list of exhibitors. Get ready by downloading the app at or use the web version.

 

 

Indiana Company to Manufacture Hy‑Gain and Cushcraft Antennas

In his pickup truck on the way back to Indiana from Starkville, Mississippi, President and Founder David Carpenter, KC9ATG, told the ARRL Letter his company will indeed begin building Hy‑Gain and Cushcraft antennas.

 

Carpenter became interested last year in purchasing the antenna lines from Martin Jue, K5FLU, retired owner of MFJ Enterprises. “We were not able to make the deal last year,” said Carpenter. “But I called him a few weeks ago and,with a handshake, the deal was done.”

 

ITU, which currently sells ham and CB gear, as well as training products for multiple industries, has also purchased the former Linton National Guard Armory, which will become the new manufacturing hub for these legendary US antenna brands.

 

Capenter said his company will soon begin moving the manufacturing equipment from Mississippi to Linton, Indiana, and start taking orders by the 4th quarter of this year. The new operation is expected to employ a staff of 20 initially, and then up to 50.

 

“These antennas will be American-made,” said Carpenter.

 

Martin F. Jue, founder of MFJ Enterprises, was quoted as saying he expressed confidence that Hy‑Gain and Cushcraft, renowned for their robust design, high gain, and worldwide use by radio operators, will continue living up to their legacy under ITU’s American‑made engineering and customer‑focused approach.

 

With existing brands like and already in its portfolio, ITU is positioning the Linton, Indiana, site as a center for high‑performance antennas, rotators, and accessories used by hams and professional stations.

 

 

“Football/Futbol on the Air” Amateur Special Event

Amateur radio will be carrying the ball this year for soccer — known in the rest of the world as football or futbol — to coincide with the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The tournament and unaffiliated ham radio event will run June 11 to July 19, 2026.

 

As players from around the world compete in the stadiums, amateur radio operators will be looking for contacts during this “Football/Futbol on the Air” special event. Teams of hams will be on the air calling CQ from same 16 World Cup host cities where the matches will be played throughout North America, starting with the first match in Mexico City on June 11, and ending with the final match in New York/New Jersey on July 19.

 

The host cities, like the teams, are truly international: three are in Mexico, two are in Canada, and the remaining eleven are in the United States. With a roster of 48 football teams, this is the largest international tournament to date.

 

Many of the amateur stations will be using 1x1 call signs such as W5C, operating CW, SSB, and the digital modes on HF and VHF as band conditions allow. Others will have longer special-event call signs that can be found on the , along with a full-color display of the various QSL cards that are available. Each of these QSL cards is collectible and available upon request after a successful contact. There will also be a wildcard “bonus” station using the call sign WC5WC.

 

A downloadable multi-city certificate will be available with endorsements at various levels. Host city stations are planning to be on the air on the day of their cities’ matches, but many will also operate at different times during the tournament.

 

If your ham radio station is near one of the North American host cities, consider joining one of the teams. Visit the and fill out the form under the “VOLUNTEER” tab at the top of the screen.

 

Organizing the amateur radio special event had its beginnings in a very local moment. Earlier this year, the in central Texas was faced with scaling back its big plans for Winter Field Day after a major ice storm struck the region. Ron Franklin, AA5HK, who is the soccer event coordinator, said that after that greatly downsized Winter Field Day, a number of club members were still primed for a big-scale activation. With the World Cup matches coming to Dallas, the opportunity presented itself. Members secured support from the group president, Robert Tear, N9KGL. The outreach then began to hams in other host cities, including those in Canada and Mexico.

 

Football/Futbol on the Air begins at 0000 UTC on June 11, and ends at 2359 on July 19. For more details, visit or email .

 

Thanks to ARRL Member Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, for the information in this story.

 

 

World Amateur Radio Day 2026 in Puerto Rico

Photo Caption: Left to right: ARRL Puerto Rico Section QSL Bureau Manager Nestor Correa, WP4PRD; Section Manager Carmen Greene, KP4QVQ; Technical Specialist Rafael Carrasquillo, KP4RAS; Technical Coordinator Ariel Negrón, WP4QEC. [Photo courtesy of Angel Luis Santana-Diaz, WP3GW/W4W]

The main activity for World Amateur Day 2026 in Puerto Rico was a special broadcast radio program, with leaders of the ARRL Puerto Rico Section, which aired April 16 on radio station Radio Progreso, WRSS 1410 AM.

 

ARRL Technical Specialist Rafael Carrasquillo, KP4RAS, conducts a weekly program at the station about community preparedness and had an idea. First, to make a special program consisting of two parts, beginning with explaining to listeners what World Amateur Radio Day is all about, and at the same time making a special event on a repeater system.

 

The program started at about 10:20 AM with KP4RAS in the studio along with ARRL Puerto Rico Section Manager Carmen Greene, KP4QVQ; Technical Coordinator Ariel Negrón, WP4QEC, and QSL Bureau Manager Nestor Correa, WP4PRD.

 

The program was complemented with an earlier recording featuring Section Emergency Coordinator Emmanuel Cruz, NP4D, and Public Information Coordinator Angel Santana-Diaz, WP3GW, in which they explained the IARU, ARES, and the QSL Bureau system. During this segment, the special event was running from the radio station to the Red Boricua repeater system so those amateurs who had made contact could receive a special certificate of participation. There were also special on-air activations by the Federación de Radio Aficionados de Puerto Rico (Federation of Radio Amateurs of Puerto Rico) station KP4FRA, and Public Information Coordinator WP3GW, operating as W4W.

 

You can listen to the .

 

“All this was thanks to KP4RAS, who wanted to do something special with the Section for this special occasion,” said PIC Santana–Diaz.

 

NCDXF Adds Two Young DXpeditioners to Board

A special Board Meeting of the took place on April 20, 2026. During the meeting, the board expanded the number of directors to add two new members as part of an effort to strengthen youth involvement in DXing and DXpeditioning.

 

Appointed to the board are Violetta Latham, KN2P, and Max Freedman, N4ML. Freedman is a member of the ARRL staff and an active DXpeditioner, while Latham also brings hands-on DXpedition experience and a strong connection to the next generation of operators.

 

The creation of these positions—and the selection of younger operators with proven DXpedition credentials—reflects a broader initiative by NCDXF to encourage greater participation by young hams in DX activities. The Foundation says it looks forward to their insights in helping shape programs and support systems that will engage and sustain future DXers.

 

The NCDXF board also accepted the resignation of board Director George Wallner, AA7JV, who was recognized for his work spearheading the development of the Radio-In-a-Box (RIB) technology that continues to gain momentum in the DX community.

 

Gregg Marco, W6IZT, was elected to replace Wallner on the board. Marco is passionate about the participation of young hams in DXpeditions. He has led several DXpedition efforts recently that included many young hams. He has also developed a Next Generation RIB system that has been instrumental in including many young hams in DXpeditions via remote access.

 

NCDXF provides scholarships to Contest University, held each year in Dayton before Hamvention®, for those 25 years of age and under. The organization also partners with the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to operate the NCDXF Beacon System worldwide, and supports the WRTC, World Radiosport Championship.

 

Thanks to Ned Stearns, AA7A, Vice President, NCDXF for this information.

 

Amateur Radio in the News

“” / WIVT (New York) April 20, 2026 -- The Binghamton Amateur Radio Association (BARA) is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

 

“” / The Parkersburg News and Sentinel (West Virginia) April 21, 2026 -- The Great Bend Radio Group, Meigs County, Ohio; the Parkersburg Amateur Radio Klub, an ARRL Affiliated Club, and Wood County Emergency Communications, West Virginia.

 

 

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

A reminder: PIC/PIO Webinar Promoting ARRL Field Day is tonight, Thursday, April 23, 2026. Use the following links to register for the session you want to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Choose a time:

 

 

in New Hampshire, N1FD, will conduct it’s next Ham Bootcamp on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Ham Bootcamp is an online interactive program to help new, inactive, and prospective hams learn the skills they need to get on the air, including how to build a station, how to operate, and activities that you can do with your ham radio license. The program is free and registration is required. Nashua Area Radio Society is an ARRL Affiliated and Special Service Club.

 

 

In Brief...

Amateur radio operators worldwide are invited to be a part of a unique special event under way now and continuing to December 2026. The occassion is 900th anniversary of the first written mention of Jaromer, a small town in the . Jaromer has about 12,000 inhabitants and lies at the confluence of the rivers , , and . The area around the local rivers was populated as early as 40,000 BC. The first written mention of is from 1126, when a fortress founded by Duke Jaromír is documented in the area of today's Church of Saint Nicholas. Three callsigns will be used for the special event: OL9ØØCO, OL9ØØJAR, and OL9ØØLTV. Four electronic diplomas (QSL cards) — bronze, silver, gold, and platinum — will be issued for contacts with these stations and other activators. Information about the event and the bands used can be found at . Diplomas may also be obtained by SWL operators.

 

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 .

 

04/22/2026 Iowa W1AW/Ø (host WBØGAG)

04/22/2026 Wisconsin W1AW/9 (host W9XT)

04/29/2026 New Hampshire W1AW/1 (host KC1WNM)

04/29/2026 South Dakota W1AW/Ø (KØBBC)

04/29/2026 Pennsylvania W1AW/3 (WC3O)

 

 

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

Solar disk image courtesy of NASA/SDO, April 23, 2026

ARRL Solar Report for April 23, 2026

Solar activity remained at low levels this past week with numerous C1 flares from Region 4420, which exhibited growth during the period. Region 4419 showed minor decay, particularly in its trailing spots, while producing a lone C1.0 flare. Region 4422 was numbered during the period but remained inactive. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in coronagraph imagery.

 

Solar activity is expected to continue at low levels, with a slight (10%) chance for isolated M-class activity, through April 24, primarily due to the flare potential from Region 4420 and limb activity.

 

Solar wind parameters reflected waning coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influences. The wind speed maintained an average of ~525 km/s, and Phi was predominantly in a negative orientation towards the Sun. Mildly enhanced solar wind conditions are anticipated through April 23 as the negative polarity CH HSS continues to move from its geoeffective position, transitioning to elevated conditions on April 24 due to the anticipated arrival of a positive polarity CH HSS.

 

The 10.7-centimeter flux: April 23, 125; April 24, 120; April 25, 115; April 26, 120; April 27 – 29, 125.

 

For more information concerning radio propagation, the ARRL Technical Information Service, read , and check out the .

 

For customizable propagation charts, visit the .

 

 

Just Ahead in Radiosport

  • April 25 - 26 -- Tipalayo DX Contest (phone)
  • April 25 - 26 -- SP DX RTTY Contest (digital)
  • April 25 - 26 -- UK/EI DX Contest (CW)
  • April 25 - 26 -- Helvetia Contest (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 25 - 27 -- Nebraska QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 25 - 26 -- Florida QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • April 26 -- BARTG Sprint 75 (digital)
  • April 27 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
  • April 29 - 30 -- 432 MHz Spring Sprint (digital)
  • May 1 -- AGCW QRP/QRP Party (CW)
  • May 2 -- RCC Cup (CW, phone)
  • May 2 -- SBMS 2.3 GHz and Up Contest and Club Challenge (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 2 -- Microwave Spring Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 2 - 3 -- ARI International DX Contest (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 2 - 3 -- F9AA Cup, PSK (digital)
  • May 2 - 3 -- 7th Call Area QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 2 - 3 -- Indiana QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • May 2 - 3 -- Delaware QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 2 - 3 -- New England QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • May 3 -- WAB 7 MHz Phone (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

 

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