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ARRL Awards Recognize Excellence in Ham Radio |
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Ed Menasian, N8LPQ, won the 2024 ARRL Technical Service Award. | | |
It probably isn’t hard to think of someone you know in the hobby who goes above and beyond in service to amateur radio, their club, their fellow hams, or their community. Volunteers are the very core of the Amateur Radio Service, and that dedication is what carries the ARRL Field Organization. Excellence in on-air operating inspires the rest of us to be better, build better, and do better.
ARRL seeks your help in honoring the outstanding work done by hams, through the ARRL Service Awards. There are a host of different awards which are divided into four categories: Education Awards, Media/Public Relations Awards, Technical Awards, and Distinguished Service Awards.
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Education Awards
Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award
Named for the Founding President of ARRL, this award goes to a licensed radio amateur under age 21 who has made exemplary contributions to amateur radio and the local community. Nominees must be current ARRL members. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
ARRL Herb S. Brier Award for Instructors and Teachers
Honoring Herb S. Brier, W9AD (SK), ARRL sponsors this award in conjunction with the Lake County (Indiana) Amateur Radio Club to recognize the very best in amateur radio instruction and recruitment. The award goes to a licensed radio amateur and ARRL member who is an ARRL-registered volunteer instructor or ARRL-registered professional classroom teacher. Nomination deadline: March 15, 2025.
Technical Awards
ARRL Microwave Development Award
This award recognizes a radio amateur or group of radio amateurs who contribute to the development of the amateur radio microwave bands. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
ARRL Technical Service Award
This award recognizes a radio amateur or group of radio amateurs who provide amateur radio technical assistance or training to others. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
ARRL Technical Innovation Award
This award recognizes a radio amateur or group of radio amateurs who develop and apply new technical ideas or techniques in amateur radio. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
Public Relations Awards
ARRL Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award
Honoring Phil McGan, WA2MBQ (SK), this award recognizes a radio amateur and ARRL member who has demonstrated leadership in successfully promoting amateur radio to the public. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
ARRL Bill Leonard Award
Honoring Bill Leonard, W2SKE (SK), three annual awards are given to professional journalists or journalistic teams whose outstanding coverage highlights the enjoyment, importance, and public service contribution of the Amateur Radio Service. The award is given in three media categories: audio, visual, and print. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025.
Distinguished Service Awards
Knight Distinguished Service Award
Honoring Joe T. Knight, W5PDY (SK), the award recognizes exceptional contributions by a Section Manager to the health and vitality of ARRL. Nomination deadline: March 31, 2025 (for consideration during the July ARRL Board meeting).
George Hart Distinguished Service Award
Honoring George Hart, W1NJM (SK), the award recognizes an ARRL member’s lifetime of activities within the ARRL Field Organization, including the National Traffic System and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service®. Nomination deadline: November 1, 2025.
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2025 ARRL Foundation Scholarships – Final Weeks to Apply |
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The ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program continues to accept applications for the 2025 scholarship cycle. The application period is open until 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 6, 2025. The scholarships are available to eligible amateur radio operators pursuing higher education. There are more than 100 scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000.
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The scholarships have been established by generous donors and can help fund a portion of a ham’s education. Descriptions of the scholarships may be found at www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions.
ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL, is encouraged by the program.
“Hams are always learning, and being able to honor that dedication to education through generously funded scholarship programs helps relieve some of the financial burden that students can experience,” he said.
All applicants must submit a completed online application.
Transcripts and any additional required documents must be submitted with the application and not emailed separately.
A number of scholarships require additional documents, such as a letter of recommendation from a sitting officer of an ARRL-affiliated club. Applications without accompanying transcripts and additional required documents (if applicable) will not be considered.
Scholarship recipients will be notified by early June 2025. Awards are mailed directly to recipients' schools and will be awarded in July 2025.
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ARRL Kids Day is Only a Couple of Weeks Away on January 4, 2025 |
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Bellevue (Nebraska) ARC and The Science Club at Yates Illuminates kids show their On The Air certificates from January 2024 Kids Day. | | |
Kids Day runs from 1800 UTC - 2359 UTC. Operate as much or as little as you like.
The event is designed to give on-the-air experience to young people, to foster interest in getting a license of their own, and give older hams a chance to share their stations and love for amateur radio with their children. You can share the excitement with your own kids, grandkids, a Scout troop, a church, or the general public!
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All participants are encouraged to post their story and thumbnail photos to the Kids Day Soapbox page. Tell the world about your operations, the fun you had, and the contacts you made! Remember, ARRL must have a completed release form
in order to include youth photos (younger than 18 years of age) in ARRL publications.
There will be a second ARRL Kids Day on June 21, 2025.
More information, including frequencies, suggested exchanges, and how to download a certificate, can be found at Kids Day.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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“Amateur radio antenna returns to Carson Planning Commission” / Nevada Appeal (Nevada) December 14, 2024 -- Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS).
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
Learn Even More with On the Air Live
In early 2025, the ARRL Education & Learning Department will launch an interactive livestreamed video podcast, On the Air Live. The monthly episodes will be aimed toward educating new and intermediate-level hams, inspiring them to explore the nearly endless aspects of amateur radio and develop their skills.
ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, who will host each episode, joins the On the Air podcast to share more details, including upcoming topics and how to participate in real time.
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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
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The Intrepid-DX Group
has announced the winners of the fifth annual Youth “Dream Rig” Essay Contest. Thirty-four essays were received from young amateurs in Canada and the USA. Judges concluded that each essay was unique in thought and very well written. Extra consideration was given for correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The essays gave interesting perspectives on how to reach out and connect with the youth of today. The First Place winner, and recipient of the ICOM IC-7300, is Katie Campbell, 16, KE8LQR. The Second Place winner, and recipient of an ICOM ID-52A dual-band multi-function D-STAR radio, is 14-year-old Lila Shearer, KK7RRV. The Third Place winner, and recipient of an ICOM T-10 dual-band handheld transceiver, is 15-year-old Michael Simon, KK7KLG. “Having read your many essays, we can tell that our youth are full of great ideas, and are brimming with enthusiasm to keep our hobby alive well into the future,” said Paul Ewing, N6PSE, Intrepid-DX Group President. “We received a number of outstanding essays, and we wish that we had more prizes for the deserving authors. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing the winning essays on our Facebook
page. Thank you to all the youth participants for helping us make our fifth annual youth essay contest a success.”
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ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, will be closed Wednesday, December 25, 2024, and Wednesday, January 1, 2025, in observance of Christmas and New Year's Day. There will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice
those days. There will be no issue of The ARRL Letter on December 26, 2024, or ARRL Audio News on December 27, 2024. We wish you and yours the very best for the holidays.
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ARRL Straight Key Night will be January 1, 2025, from 0000 UTC through 2359 UTC. This 24-hour event is not a contest but rather a day dedicated to celebrating our CW heritage. Participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs. The use of straight keys or bugs to send CW is preferred. There are no points scored and all who participate are winners. All authorized amateur frequencies may be used but activity has traditionally been centered on the HF bands. Entries for Straight Key Night must be received by January 3, 2025. Votes for "Best Fist" and “Most Interesting QSO” will be tabulated and included in the results. Send your information to straightkey@arrl.org
or by mail to ARRL Straight Key Night, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut 06111. For more information, contact contests@arrl.org
or (860) 594-0232.
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This image was taken on December 19, 2024. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] | | |
For this Friday’s ARLP051 ARRL Propagation Bulletin:
Excellent HF conditions greeted hams in the ARRL 10-Meter Contest last weekend. Recent indicators show a sudden shift to two-digit daily sunspot numbers from three, and although there is nothing significant about 100, it makes one notice. Perhaps this indicates a move off of solar max, or a future with a second maximum.
Predicted solar flux is 175, 185, 190, 195 and 200 on December 19 – 23; 205 on December 24 – 25; 180 on December 26 – 27; 185 on December 28 – 29; 180 on December 30 through January 2, 2025, and 175 on January 3 – 4.
The forecast for Planetary A index shows a quiet 5 on December 19 – 22; 8 on December 23 – 24, and 5 on December 25 through January 4, 2025.
Sunspot numbers for December 12 through 18, 2024 were 91, 82, 86, 97, 90, 88, and 82 with a mean of 88. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 172, 163.7, 170.5, 172, 166.7, 170, and 173.5 with a mean of 169.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 6, 4, 10, 12, 14, 29, and 15, with a mean of 8. Middle latitude A index was 4, 2, 8, 9, 11, 20, and 12, with a mean of 12.9.
Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. 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.
Share
your reports and observations.
A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News.
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December 20 -- 7 AGB-Party Contest (CW, phone, digital)
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December 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
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December 21 -- OK DX RTTY Contest (digital)
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December 21 - 22 -- Croatian DX Contest (CW, phone)
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December 22 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW)
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December 24 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest (phone)
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December 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
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December 25 -- Phone Weekly Test (phone)
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December 26 -- DARC Christmas Contest (CW, phone)
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December 28 -- RAC Winter Contest (CW, phone)
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December 28 - 29 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
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December 28 - 29 -- Original QRP Contest (CW, phone)
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December 30 -- YOTA Contest (CW, phone)
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December 30 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
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December 30 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
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December 31 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest (phone)
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December 31 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
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December 31 -- Bogor Old and New Contest (phone)
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January 1 -- AGB New Year Snowball Contest (CW, phone, digital)
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January 1 -- SARTG New Year RTTY Contest (digital)
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January 1 -- AGCW Happy New Year Contest (CW)
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January 1 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
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January 1 -- UKEICC 80m Contest (phone)
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January 2 - 3 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
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January 2 -- NRAU 10m Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
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January 2 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar
for more events and information.
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Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
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January 4 | Ham Radio University, sponsoring the ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville, New York
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January 10 - 11 | 2025 Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention, Fort Myers, Florida
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January 17 - 18 | Cowtown Hamfest 25, sponsoring the ARRL North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas
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January 31 - February 1 | Jackson MS Capital City Hamfest 2025, sponsoring the ARRL Mississippi Section Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
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February 7 - 9 | Orlando HamCation, sponsoring the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
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February 8 | Hendricks County Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Indiana Section Convention, Danville, Indiana
Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database
to find events in your area.
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Members can vote for their favorite article in the most recent issue of QST magazine. The winner of this monthly poll receives the QST Cover Plaque Award. By voting you are voicing your opinion about the kinds of articles you enjoy reading in QST and supporting the authors who contribute content.
Visit www.arrl.org/cover-plaque-poll and vote today!
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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...
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 © 2024 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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