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Las Vegas Radio Amateur Club Celebrates 65 Years |
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The Las Vegas Radio Amateur Club (LVRAC) will be celebrating its 65th anniversary the weekend of April 4, 2026.
Club President Charlie Shepard, K7CBS, said LVRAC is the oldest amateur radio club in Las Vegas, has been active in the Clark County community since April 1961, and is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“The club began in the kitchen of Jerry Mann, W7VYC, later N7CAH, now a SK,” said Shepard. “Our first meeting was held as a picnic on Mt. Charleston and 150 people attended.” Mt. Charleston, which is snow-capped more than half the year, can be seen from parts of the Las Vegas Strip when looking toward the west. Mount Charleston has nearly 200 campsites and over 150 picnic areas, some of which are RV accessible.
The mountain is also known for its multitude of radio and television towers and antennas.
In the early days of the LVRAC, the club was contacted by Joe Wells, then the head of the Thunderbird Hotel, who wanted to establish a ham station in the hotel. He offered to purchase the equipment and provide a room in which to build a station. He bought the equipment and all the necessary accessories to equip a fully functional amateur radio station. A glass-windowed room, completely visible to the hotel’s patrons, was built to house the station.
Send us stories and photos about your radio club's celebrations and milestones during this Year of the Club. Email news@arrl.org.
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The old Las Vegas Thunderbird Hotel, where the LVRAC held its early meetings. [Photo courtesy of the LVRAC] | | | |
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The popular and colorful “Thunderbird” sign at the hotel stuck with the club and has been its logo for more than a half century.
“We have a special event on Saturday, April 4, beginning at 8:00 AM at the Red Rock Search and Rescue Facilities,” said Shepard. “Radios and antennas will be set up and everyone is invited to come celebrate and operate.”
There will be pictures and additional information on the club’s YouTube channel.
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ARISS Outlines Opportunities for Space Station Contacts in 2027 |
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The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is seeking formal and informal educational institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an amateur radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.
Crew members will participate in scheduled amateur radio contacts.
These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.
ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1 and June 30, 2027. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates.
To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.
The deadline to submit a proposal is May 22, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Proposal information and necessary details are at ariss-usa.org/proposal-overview/.
An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held April 30 at 8 PM ET. The Zoom link to sign up is: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3yid9dxzRkmYfVroIP0nWA.
An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via amateur radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities.
ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS.
Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science.
Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.
Amateur radio organizations around the world, with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using amateur radio. Please direct any questions to education@ariss-usa.org.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers.
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ARRL Dakota Division has a New Vice Director |
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Chris Stallkamp, KIØD, of Selby, South Dakota, has been appointed Vice Director of the ARRL Dakota Division. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, appointed Stallkamp who has been South Dakota Section Manager since 2012.
Stallkamp, an ARRL Life Member, has been a radio amateur since 2006 and holds an Extra Class license. He is a member of the Black Hills Amateur Radio Club and Lake Area Radio Klub in South Dakota, the Twin Cities DX Association, and the Minnesota Wireless Association.
Interest in amateur radio runs in his family. His mother, Margaret, KAØBEB, and father, Lloyd, NO7G, of Havre, Montana, are both amateur radio operators. Stallkamp works as a Sales Agronomist for Agri Partners.
The ARRL Dakota Division includes Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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“Annual ham radio symposium coming up” / The Ellsworth American (Maine) March 25, 2026 -- The Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“Rusk County Amateur Radio Club to host ‘Radio for Everyone’ event” / The Henderson News (Texas) March 27, 2026 -- The Rusk County 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'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, learn.arrl.org, 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
👉 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
Build a 2-Meter Ground Plane with OTA and OTA Live
ARRL Education Specialist — and host of On the Air Live — Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to explain the merits of the antenna presented in his March/April 2026 On the Air article “Building and Installing a 2-Meter Ground-Plane Antenna,” and details how to register for the March 24 On the Air Live session in which he’ll take real-time questions about the construction and use of the antenna. More info
| Listen on Blubrry
| Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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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 www.arrl.org/america250-was.
04/01/2026 California W1AW/6 (host NZ6Q)
04/01/2026 Mississippi W1AW/5 (host W5UE)
04/01/2026 North Carolina W1AW/4 (host N4XI)
04/08/2026 Washington W1AW/7 (host W7MKE)
04/08/2026 New Mexico W1AW/5 (host KA8JMW)
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The Wellesley Amateur Radio Society
(WARS) in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1951, WARS has provided public service, education and seminars, Field Day and contest coordination, and a genuine sense of community for three quarters of a century. 1951 also marked other historic milestones including the first coast-to-coast television broadcast, the first UNIVAC I computer, the ratification of the 22nd amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the start of Korean War armistice talks.
The official date of the celebration is Saturday, May 2, 2026. For more information, visit the WARS website.
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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:
W1AW Station Manager
Awards Program Supervisor
Development Associate
Membership Manager
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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New solar disk image courtesy of the Learmonth Solar Observatory, April 2, 2026 | | |
ARRL Solar Report for Thursday April 2, 2026
Solar activity has been at low levels with only C-class flares produced by Regions 4401, 4405, and 4409. There were 9 numbered active regions on the solar disk, with 4409 showing the most significant growth during the period and producing the largest flares on April 1. A new region emerged but it has not yet been numbered.
Multiple filaments erupted during the day on April 1, producing coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed in coronagraph imagery, but their propagation modeling did not suggest impacts to Earth.
The exceptions are the ejecta first observed at GONG H-alpha images on April 1.
Solar activity is likely to reach moderate (R1/R2-minor/moderate) levels, with a slight chance for X-class (R3-strong) flares through April 4, due primarily to the flare potential of Regions 4404, 4405 and 4409.
Solar wind parameters were near nominal levels with solar wind speed averaging around 440 km/s. Enhanced solar wind disturbances are likely through April 2 due to the arrival of the March 30 CME. Conditions are likely to give way to coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) activity by mid-to-late April 2.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: April 2, 155; April 3, 150; April 4 – 5, 145; April 6 ,135; April 7, 125; April 8, 118.
Predicted sunspot numbers: April 2, 109; April 3, 104; April 4, 115; April 5, 101; April 6, 119; April 7, 95; April 8, 124.
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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April 4 - 5 -- YBDXPI SSB Contest (phone)
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April 4 - 5 -- EA RTTY Contest (digital)
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April 4 - 5 -- Louisiana QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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April 4 - 5 -- Mississippi QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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April 4 - 5 -- SP DX Contest (CW, phone)
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April 11 -- QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party (CW)
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April 11 - 12 -- JIDX CW Contest (CW)
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April 11 - 12 -- DIG QSO Party (CW
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April 11 - 12 -- Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest (CW, phone)
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April 11 - 12 -- OK/OM DX Contest, SSB (phone)
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April 11 - 12 -- RSGB FT4 International Activity Day (digital)
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April 11 - 12 -- IG-RY World Wide RTTY Contest (digital)
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April 11 - 12 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
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April 11 - 12 -- New Mexico QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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April 11 - 12 -- Missouri QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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April 11 - 12 -- North Dakota QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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April 11 - 12 -- Georgia QSO Party (CW, 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 |
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April 4 | RARSfest, hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
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April 10 - 11 | Green Country Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma
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April 18 | Delmarva Amateur Radio and Electronics Expo, hosting the ARRL Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware
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May 3 | Warminster Amateur Radio Club Annual Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention, Bristol, Pennsylvania
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May 9 | ARRL Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska
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June 5 -7 | SEA-PAC, hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention
Database to find events in your area.
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May 15 - 17 | Dayton Hamvention, Xenia, Ohio
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June 26 - 28 | HAM RADIO, International Amateur Radio Exhibition, Friedrichshafen, Germany
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August 7 - 8 | Shreveport-Bossier Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Delta Division Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana
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August 13 - 16 | Northeast HamXposition, ARRL New England Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts
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August 15 | Cincinnati Hamfest℠, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention
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August 22 - 23 | Huntsville Hamfest, hosting the 2026 ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, Alabama
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October 10 | North Star Radio Convention, hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
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October 16 - 18 | Pacificon, ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California
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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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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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