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Learning Opportunity - On the Air Live: “How to Use Your Handheld Radio” |
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ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, hosts On the Air Live each month | | |
ARRL is helping members get the most out of amateur radio through On the Air Live, a monthly series of training sessions.
The live events are hosted by ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, and offer a deep dive into topics hams will find useful.
“We had a great crowd at January’s On the Air Live,” said Greene. “We showed folks how to get started in slow scan television (SSTV).”
The next OTA Live is February 25 at 8:00 PM EST and will be on the topic of “How to Use Your Handheld Radio.” Registration in advance is required, but is free for ARRL members. If you can’t make the live event, a recording will be available in the ARRL Learning Center.
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“On the Air Live is a perfect intersection of education and inspiration.
We want participants to come away empowered and inspired to make the most of their involvement in ham radio,” said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA.
The monthly events tie in with content from On the Air magazine, which will match the current subject matter of OTA Live. All ARRL members have digital access to On the Air and three other high quality magazines at www.arrl.org/magazines.
“We look forward to having members join us for OTA Live. The more, the merrier, and we hope to help get hams more involved in the hobby,” said Greene.
Find On the Air Live and replays in the ARRL Learning Center at learn.arrl.org.
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This Weekend: Orlando HamCation® |
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Visit the ARRL Booth at Orlando HamCation®
2025, hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention. It is being held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, February 7-9, 2025, at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park, 4603 West Colonial Drive, Orlando, Florida 32808.
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Orlando HamCation® starts tomorrow | | | |
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Follow along for photos from Orlando HamCation on the ARRL Facebook page
www.facebook.com/share/1FQRXSNCrh/?.
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Training the Next Generation of Net Controllers |
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Amateur radio operators are known for their desire and unique ability to provide public service through communications.
Whether activated for a severe weather event or a local event such as a marathon or bike ride, the utility value and versatility of the Amateur Radio Service is enjoyed by communities around the country.
One critical aspect of coordinating the communications is the role of net controller.
These key volunteers bring order to chaos and flow to information.
It is a specialized skill that requires development, practice, and training.
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A capacity crowd fills the training room at Newington VFD Company #1. [Sierra Harrop, W5DX, photos] | | | |
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On February 1, Connecticut volunteers
in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®)
held a training session. The session drew dozens of radio amateurs from around the state to a packed room inside the Newington Volunteer Fire Department. The half-day course, led by ARRL Connecticut Section Manager Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, was dynamic and participatory.
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ARRL Connecticut Section Manager Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, served as an ARES District Emergency Coordinator for 13 years before being elected SM. He relies on that experience to pass along skills to new net control trainees. | | | |
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Georg Papp, K1YBO, is a controller and Assistant Net Manager for the Western Connecticut (WESCONN) Traffic Net, a part of the ARRL® National Traffic System® (NTS®). It serves to flow messages into, out of, and throughout the state and to serve as a training net.
He was excited to see the high number of attendees.
“We always encourage new people to step up to volunteer for the net, and this helps provide a pathway for them,” he said.
In the training, Sharafanowich highlighted examples of needing a robust group of trained Net Control Station (NCS) operators. “When a ‘Black Sky’ event takes place, it is rarely limited to an 8-hour shift. We will need trained NCS operators not only to provide for initial shift coverage, but also, we will need relief NCS operators to cover following shifts,” he said.
If you’d like to get involved as a net control station, talk with your local ARRL Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator to express interest. You may also find NTS net resources in your area at nts2.arrl.org.
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Hurricane Watch Net Turning 60, Seeking Net Control Operators |
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The Hurricane Watch Net
(HWN), founded on Labor Day weekend 1965, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. The net, known for relaying surface observations into the National Hurricane Center, is also seeking volunteers to serve as net control operators.
Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, reports HWN is preparing for what could be, yet again, an above-average hurricane season and that the net needs more amateur radio operators to help.
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“We are starting early this year in preparations and looking to add more net control stations to our roster,” said Graves. “We are looking for dedicated new members willing to train to become net control operators (NCOs). While being bilingual is not a requirement, being fluent in Spanish and English or French/Creole and English is a plus.”
If you are interested in training to become a net control operator for the Hurricane Watch Net, please visit the net control information page, hwn.org/about-us/ncs_info.html.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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“Amateur radio hobbyists tune in at winter field day” / The Clark Fork Valley Press & Mineral Independent (Montana) January 29, 2025 -- The Clark Fork Valley Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“Kent ham radio club tests emergency communications skills” / Kent County News (Maryland) January 30, 2025 -- The Kent Amateur Radio Society is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
Slow-Scan TV: Sending Pictures by Radio
Listen to the latest episode of the On the Air
podcast. In preparation for the first On the Air Live interactive livestream that launched on January 28, we take a look at the topic: slow-scan TV (SSTV), a ham radio mode that allows you to use RF to send static images. Steve Ford, WB8IMY, author of “SSTV: When a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words” in the January/February 2025 issue of On the Air, joins the podcast to share the basics of this mode. Visit learn.arrl.org to register for the next On the Air Live session taking place Feb.
25th.
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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.
The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are available on blubrry, iTunes, and Apple Podcasts.
On the Air
| ARRL Audio News
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Las Vegas, Nevada, American Legion Paradise Post 149, along with members of the 40 & 8 Voiture 306, will operate special event station NV7AL, February 19 - 24, 2025. The event celebrates the 76th anniversary of the United States, and the state of Nevada, receiving a 40 & 8 Merci Train boxcar in 1949. The Merci Train
boxcar serves as a memorial to the Allies' participation in World War II.
The car was called a “40 et 8” (40 and 8) because the French military rated it to carry 40 men or eight horses.
There is a 40 & 8 Merci Train boxcar located in Boulder City, Nevada.
To learn more, visit Merci Train.
The Forty & Eight, a charitable honor society of American wartime veterans, was formed in 1920 by American Legionnaires.
NV7AL will be operating at various times each day, primarily on 7.074, 7.250, and 14.074 MHz. A QSL card is available.
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The Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL), K4LMB, will host the 2025 SSB/CW/Digital YL-OM Contest from 00:00 UTC February 13 until 23:59 UTC February 14. All licensed amateur radio operators throughout the world are invited to participate. All bands except 60, 30, 17, and 12 meters may be used. Net and repeater contacts do not count. Participants may work up to 36 of the 48 hours. The contact procedure is simple. OMs (male hams) call “CQ-YL,” and YLs (female hams) call “CQ-OM.” For more information, complete rules, and awards, visit Contests - Young Ladies Radio League.
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This image was taken on February 6, 2025. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] | | |
Solar Update Report February 6, 2025
The sun was highly active on February 4 – 5. Potent sunspot region AR3981 remains active, producing 20 M-class solar flares even though its flare productivity has decreased over the past 24 hours. The region has maintained its high potential beta-gamma magnetic configuration, but its delta region shows signs of shearing. The region is becoming more prone to sudden releases of flares.
There have been several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and even a solar tornado. Solar winds have decreased to normal levels in the past 24 hours, but moderate-to-high solar activity is expected over the next 24 hours beginning February 6.
The 10.7-centimeter solar flux remains at 215 and is expected to decrease to 210 February 7 – 8, then to 200 on February 9 - 10.
Overall, the forecast calls for unsettled conditions to continue on February 6 with more activity on February 7.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit
the ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...," and check out
the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
A propagation bulletin archive
is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
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February 8 - 9 -- CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest (digital)
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February 8 -- Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint (CW)
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February 8 - 9 -- KCJ Topband Contest (CW)
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February 8 - 9 -- Dutch PACC Contest (CW, phone)
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February 8 - 9 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
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February 8 - 9 -- OMISS QSO Party (phone)
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February 8 -- WAB 1.8 MHz Phone (Phone)
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February 8 -- RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest (CW)
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February 9 -- Balkan HF Contest (CW, phone)
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February 10 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
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February 10 - 14 -- ARRL School Club Roundup
(CW, phone)
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February 11 -- DARC FT4 Contest (digital)
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February 12 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)
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February 12 -- RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data (digital)
Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar
for more events and information
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Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
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February 7 - 9 | Orlando HamCation, hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
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February 8 | Hendricks County Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Indiana Section Convention, Danville, Indiana
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February 14 -15 | Yuma Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Southwestern Division Convention, Yuma, Arizona
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February 22 | HAM-CON, hosting the ARRL Vermont State Convention, Colchester, Vermont
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February 28 - March 1 | BirmingHamfest, hosting the ARRL Alabama Section Convention, Trussville, Alabama
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March 7 - 8 | Greater Houston HamFest, hosting the ARRL Texas State Convention, Rosenberg, Texas
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March 15 | 69th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Hamfest, hosting the ARRL West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas
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March 29 | Central Dakota Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, hosting the ARRL North Dakota State Convention, Bismarck, North Dakota
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April 5 | RARSfest, hosting the ARRL North Carolina State Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
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April 11-12 | Green Country Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma.
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention
Database to find events in your area.
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Last year, 65,000 ARRL members participated in at least one learning course on the ARRL Learning Center website. As an ARRL member, you can access the vast resources in the ARRL learning library to help hone new skills or refresh current ones. Discover all of the great learning resources available to you as an ARRL member by visiting www.arrl.org/learning-programs.
Members can access the Learning Center website by visiting learn.arrl.org.
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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 Sprint, 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...
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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 © 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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