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Warm Up at 2025 Orlando HamCation®, February 7 – 9 |
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Amateur radio operators from across the country, and even from around the world, flock to Florida in February for the annual Orlando HamCation® — one of the largest and most anticipated hamfests in the country.
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HamCation includes all the popular mainstays of a full-featured convention, including exhibits and vendors, swaps, tailgate, and food. A full slate of forums will cover emergency communications, outreach to younger audiences (teens and college students), and high-tech topics like software-defined radio (SDR), remote operating, antenna design, and the fascinating world of pico balloons and tiny transmitters.
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(left to right) ARRL family members Noah Olson, W4NKO; Ken Olson, K4KEO, and Emily Olson W4ERO at 2023 Orlando HamCation. | | |
This year’s HamCation will also host the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention.
This highlights the region’s active amateur radio community and member-volunteers from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
ARRL representatives, including ARRL Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB, and Vice Director Andy Milluzzi, KK4LWR, will be in attendance, along with First Vice President Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, and CEO David Minster, NA2AA. It’s a great opportunity to engage with some of the key voices in the world of amateur radio, and to find out ways you can volunteer and extend your support for ARRL.
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For those eager to get hands-on experience, attendees will be able to operate special event station W1AW/4 throughout HamCation (be sure to carry a copy of your amateur radio license). There will also be satellite operating demonstrations, organized by ARRL members Sloan Davis, N3UPS, and Tom Gaines, KB5FHK.
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A helpful addition for navigating the sprawling event is the ARRL Events app, which is free to download for both Apple and Android devices. The app will help you find and schedule forums, track prize drawings, and locate all the vendors. It’s a great way to make sure you don’t miss any of the action. Visit your app store to download the app (search “ARRL Events”) or via the following link: www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/arrl (or use the web version).
Orlando HamCation is February 7 – 9, 2025, at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park in Orlando, Florida. More details on the web at www.hamcation.com.
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ARRL Teachers Institute a Success on Staten Island |
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The first field session of the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology reached nine New York City area educators, but the ripple effects will reach thousands of students. The session was held at the Staten Island Technical High School, home of a thriving and active amateur radio club. It was led in part by Everton Henriques, KD2ZZT, an educator at the school and TI graduate. In August 2024, 49 of Henriques’ students earned their licenses.
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All 9 teachers came away with their amateur licenses (if they didn’t already have one), along with the training, knowledge, and excitement to integrate amateur radio into their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics lessons.
ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, says the results seen in hundreds of classrooms across the country speak for themselves.
“Amateur radio is a great platform upon which students can learn and experiment with STEM areas of instruction.
It allows students to participate in hands-on activities that give meaningful connections to lessons that would normally be abstract in the classroom,” he said.
The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is funded entirely by donations to the ARRL Education & Technology Fund. No member dues go toward the program.
The success that teachers across the country are seeing is a result of hundreds of donors trusting ARRL to invest in the future of the hobby through educating and inspiring the next generation of hams.
The program is free to educators.
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Many of these success stories are highlighted in the Radio Waves publication. Radio Waves aims to showcase how educators and license class instructors are getting their students and local communities involved in ham radio. Editions may be read online, or members can sign up for e-mail delivery at www.arrl.org/radio-waves.
“We are seeing results of the work we’ve put into this program.
Young people are getting inspired, licensed, and active in amateur radio,” said Goodgame. “The time we commit to this will pay dividends to the hobby for generations to come.”
Other sessions are planned for Texas and the Southeast during 2025. Interested educators are encouraged to apply. Learn more at www.arrl.org/ti.
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NCJ North American CW Sprint is This Weekend |
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Imagine a weekend without a single full-bore pro football game. (American football, my DX and soccer-aficionado friends.) Not one. No hours of pre-game jabber. No amazing on-screen graphics and gadgets. No breathless half-time reports or injury updates. What is a right-thinking person to do? How about the CW Sprint?
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The NCJ North American CW Sprint runs on Saturday evening, February 2nd, 2025, from 0000 to 0359 UTC, or as they say on TV, 7 PM Eastern, 6 PM Central (sorry, Mountain and Pacific zones). Logs are due February 9th. Complete rules are available at ncjweb.com/north-american-sprint. (The March RTTY Sprint is March 9th!) Teams of up to five persons can be registered on the contest website at any time up to the start of the contest.
Let the funny names flow!
While the only multipliers are NA countries, US states, and Canadian provinces, contacts from *anywhere *count for QSO points.
There are *lots* of opportunities for DX friends around the world to make a few QSOs and set a record for their country!
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Long Time Ham Radio Outlet Employee Honored for 60 Years in Amateur Radio |
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Paul Szczerbinski, W9KHO, an employee of Ham Radio Outlet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received a Certificate of Honor from HRO President Robert Ferrero, W6KR, for 60 years as an amateur radio operator. This is just the second time the award has been presented.
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Paul Szczerbinski, W9KHO, with his Certificate of Honor from Ham Radio Outlet. | | | |
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Szczerbinski’s history in radio dates to 1964, when, after being honorably discharged from the United States Air Force, he began working for Hy-Gain Electronics in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1967, Szczerbinski began working at Amateur Electronic Supply in Milwaukee. In 2016, when AES aligned with HRO, Paul became the most senior Sales Associate, and he continues to work at the HRO Milwaukee store.
ARRL Wisconsin Assistant Section Manager Tom Czaja, KG9EE, extended his best wishes to Szczerbinski. “Congratulations, Paul, for your dedication to the amateur radio hobby and the amateur radio industry!” wrote Czaja.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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“Kentucky Colonels Amateur Radio Club to participate in 2025 Winter Field Day” / WNKY (Kentucky) January 24, 2025 -- The Kentucky Colonels Amateur Radio Club.
“Grayson County Amateur Radio Club preps for emergencies in Winter Field Day” / KTEN (Texas) January 25, 2025 -- The Grayson County Amateur Radio Club.
“Radio enthusiasts to the rescue in emergency communications” / The Daily Sentinel (Colorado) January 25, 2025 -- The Mesa County Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (MCARES).
“Amateur radio club to participate in national Winter Field Day” / The Record (New York) January 25, 2025 -- The East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association.
“Amateur radio operators vital during disasters” / Tribune Chronicle (Ohio) January 27, 2025 -- The Warren Amateur Radio Association.
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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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President George Washington’s 293rd birthday will be celebrated by the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club
(MVARC), K4US, Alexandria, Virginia, on February 15 , 2025 from 1500Z - 2000Z and on February 16 from 1500Z - 1600Z. Club members will be operating from the Mount Vernon greenhouse on the original grounds of the former plantation of George Washington and his wife, Martha. Frequencies include 7.042, 7.242, 14.042, and 14.242 MHz. QSL cards and additional information are available by contacting the MVARC, P.O. Box 7234, Alexandria, VA 22307. The MVARC is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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Changes in the ARRL Utah Section
Brett Pruitt, K7BDP, has been named the new Section Manager of the ARRL Utah Section. He has previously served as the Section Emergency Coordinator and has been active in leadership of his local Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) group. Pruitt has been instrumental in expanding use of AREDN networks
within Utah.
Pruitt was appointed to the role effective February 1, 2025. The change comes as current Section Manager Pat Malan, N7PAT, resigned from the role for health reasons.
Malan has served in the role since 2021.
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Shanghai Coast Radio Station XSG will host a global amateur radio special event on February 12 – 13, 2025. The station will celebrate its 120th anniversary and World Radio Day from 00:00 UTC on February 12 to 24:00 UTC on February 13. All contacts with XSG will be cross-band contacts in Morse code and XSG will operate on its authorized frequencies outside of the amateur radio bands. Amateur radio operators making contact will operate within their own allocated amateur frequencies. XSG transmission frequencies are 4105, 6780, 8502, and 12871.5 kHz. XSG receive frequencies are 3521.3 – 3526.3, 7021.3 – 7026.3, 10121.3 – 10126.3, 14021.3 – 14026.3, and 21021.3 – 21026.3 kHz. For more information email: hadt@shhadt.com.
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This image was taken on January 30, 2025. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] | | |
Solar Update Report January 30, 2025
The sun has been moderately active this past week. The greater than 2 MeV (solar particle event) electron flux at geostationary orbit is expected to remain mostly at normal to moderate levels January 30 - 31. A coronal hole high-speed stream is expected to arrive February 1. Particle injection during this time will likely elevate the 2 MeV electron flux to high levels.
Solar wind speeds have been at nominal levels and are expected to continue into January 30. There remains a slight chance for enhancement due to a weak coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with a Type II radio sweep off the west limb around January 28. Confidence in the arrival of this CME is low as modeling suggests arrival late January 31.
The geomagnetic field has been quiet to unsettled with a slight chance for active conditions on January 31, due to possible influence from the CME. The most notable effects will be from the high-speed stream from the positive polarity coronal hole that is expected to become fully geoeffective on February 1.
The 10.7 -centimeter radio flux and geomagnetic indices: January 30 – 31, 150; February 1, 145, and 150 on February 2.
EarthSky.org
reports a large coronal hole
which has been under observation since this past Tuesday is now facing Earth. The fast solar wind
it produces is expected to arrive late January 31 to early February 1. This could cause disturbances in Earth’s geomagnetic field from unsettled (Kp=3) to active levels (Kp=4) with a chance for G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm (Kp=5) levels. Solar activity is at low levels with only C-class flares but a cluster of regions AR3977, AR3976, and AR3978, are emerging onto the visible solar disk and showing signs of magnetic complexity.
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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January 31 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (CW)
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February 1 - 2 -- LABRE-RS Digi Contest (digital)
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February 1 - 2 -- VHF/ UHF Vermont QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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February 1 - 2 -- 10-10 Int'l Winter Contest SSB (phone)
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February 1 - 2 -- European Union DX Contest (CW, phone)
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February 1 - 2 -- F9AA Cup (CW)
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February 1 - 2 -- Mexico RTTY International Contest (digital)
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February 1 - 2 -- Minnesota QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
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February 1 - 2 -- FYBO Winter QRP Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
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February 1 - 2 -- AGCW Straight Key Party (CW)
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February 1 - 2 -- British Columbia QSO Party (CW, phone)
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February 2 -- North American Sprint
(CW)
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February 3 -- RSGB 80m Club Championship SSB (phone)
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February 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
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February 5 -- UKEICC 80m Contest (phone)
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February 6 - 7 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
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February 6 -- NRAU 10m Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
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February 6 -- 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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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
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention
Database to find events in your area.
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ARRL Diamond Club is an investment in the future of amateur radio and provides vital unrestricted revenue for ARRL’s many programs and services, above what dues alone can cover. A donation to Diamond Club can be made in any amount. Learn how you can honor a mentor, an Elmer, a Silent Key, or how you can get special recognition when you donate at various levels by visiting www.arrl.org/the-arrl-diamond-club.
To make a donation to Diamond Club, visit www.arrl.org/DiamondClub.
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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 © 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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