The ARRL Letter for February 12, 2026 undefined

 

 

 

The ARRL Letter

 

, Editor | February 12, 2026

 

In this Issue:

 

Start Planning Now for Ham Radio Open House in April

It’s the Year of the Club and the second annual ARRL Ham Radio Open House event in April offers a chance to show off your club’s hi-tech gear and skills to your community! ARRL is encouraging radio clubs and schools to help promote amateur radio science and technology by opening their stations to the public with an open house during the month of April. In addition, groups are encouraged to set up in public places or conduct outdoor activities, such as a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation or satellite contact. The event is built around World Amateur Radio Day on Saturday, April 18, but your open house may be scheduled at any point in the month.

 

 

Ham Radio Open House is intended to highlight the Amateur Radio Service for its development and practice of the latest radio communications and technology, and as a hands-on pathway into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for the next generation. This is a chance to not only shape the conversation about modern ham radio but also to show how it serves as a steppingstone and testbed for many young people pursing STEM education and future high-tech careers. As ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, writes in his March QST editorial, “the notion of hams sitting in Grandpa’s basement listening to tube radios is quickly dispelled when visitors see a modern transceiver and computer being used to work the world!”

 

Clubs are encouraged to showcase the latest digital modes, such as FT8 using WSJT-X, or others. This could be a great opportunity to explore new areas of amateur radio and demonstrate how the service is at the cutting edge of electrical engineering. Imagine your open house visitors seeing a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) waterfall display and then hearing what the signal they see on the screen sounds like and seeing the message it contains.

 

World Amateur Radio Day, held on April 18 each year, is celebrated worldwide by radio amateurs and their national associations, which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president. The first Ham Radio Open House event last year was tied to IARU’s centennial celebrations. This year’s activity is part of ARRL’s “Year of the Club” theme.

 

Look for resources to help organize and promote the event soon, including an interactive Ham Radio Open House Locator. Find details at .

 

 

Digital or Paper?

In a digital world, everything works correctly. But what happens when it doesn’t?

 

Tina Milenovic, K8RBQ, a member of the All Things Amateur Radio Association (ATARA) in Lancaster, Ohio, said her club began asking that question a couple of years ago. “What happens in a grid down situation, when the internet, tablets, laptops, and GPS are not available? In an emergency, how can first responders quickly navigate and travel to their intended destinations?” Milenovic said that after some thought and discussion, the answer was, well, old school ... use paper maps!

 

In 2023, members of ATARA began contacting the county engineer offices of Fairfield and contiguous counties to acquire fold-out, paper county maps for their Off Grid team members. The Off Grid team trains to be able to respond and provide mission-essential emergency communications in a natural or human-made disaster situation in which amateur radio operators are needed to assist first responders or other emergency officials. The intent of having the paper maps was to ensure that team members could travel to an incident scene if the power grid or internet were down and no GPS was available.

 

Holding completed Map Packs are ATARA President John Lehman, K8PJ, Off Grid Operations Assistant Director Diane Warner, KE8HLD, and Off Grid Operations Director Greg DerSarkisian, KD8SSJ. [Photo courtesy of ATARA]

 

The idea blossomed into the acknowledgment that all of Fairfield County’s emergency responders may also need paper maps when they travel in or out of the county or when providing mutual aid to other departments. So, the Map Packs project was created.

 

County engineer offices in the area were contacted and all generously donated a large quantity of paper maps for the Map Packs project.

 

“Once all of the maps were acquired, ATARA members assembled the Map Packs. The maps (6 county maps, 1 state map and an atlas provided by one of the counties) were compiled into sets and placed in 9 x 12.5-inch water-resistant mesh zipper pouches paid for by donations from club members,” said Milenovic.

 

Feedback has been very positive. Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape posted on the department’s Facebook page, “These Map Packs contain folded paper maps of Fairfield County and all adjacent counties. These maps are very helpful in the event modern technology should fail. ATARA provided enough maps for all patrol vehicles and detectives.”

 

Milenovic recommended that amateur radio clubs and operators may want to consider replicating this Map Packs project for their communities.

 

If your club would like more information regarding the Map Packs project contact ATARA at .

 

 

Honoring the Titanic

Amateur radio operators worldwide will have an opportunity to honor the passengers and radio crew of the RMS Titanic that sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912.

 

A Spanish special event station, EG1912T, will be on the air from 0000 UTC on April 10, the date on which the Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, until 2359 on April 15, the date on which it sank after hitting an iceberg. The call sign is unique for this event. EG identifies Spain, 1912 signifies the year the ship sank, and T stands for Titanic.

 

“Radio station managers and telegraph operators Jack Phillips, Harold Bride, and Harold Cottam, who played a leading role in the telegraphic communications during the rescue, will also be honored,” said Carlos Reboreda, EA1PJ, president of the Vigo-Val Miñor Amateur Radio Union, which is sponsoring the 2026 special event operation.

 

From right to left: Jack Phillips, head of the Titanic's radio room. Harold Cottam, telegraph operator on the Carpathia, the ship that was first to arrive at the scene of the shipwreck. Harold Bride, second operator in the radio room. [Photos courtesy of the Vigo-Val Miñor Amateur Radio Union]

 

All amateur radio operators are invited to participate. Bands used will be HF, VHF, UHF, and SHF (amateur radio satellite). All modes will be available with special emphasis on telegraphy. All stations that contact EG1921T using CW will receive a special QSL card. All other stations making contact on any frequency or mode can receive a confirmation via eQSL and LoTW.

 

 

ARRL Mourns the Loss of Sharon Taratula, Awards Manager

Sharon Taratula | 1962 - 2026

ARRL is saddened to share the news that Sharon Taratula, who served the League with dedication and distinction for 32 years, passed away on February 4, 2026.

 

Sharon joined ARRL on January 31, 1994, as DXCC Awards Technician. She later served as Administrative Assistant (1996), MVP Administrative Manager (2011), and from 2016 until her passing, as Awards Manager. Over more than three decades, she became a cornerstone of support for some of the most recognized programs in amateur radio.

 

“Sharon was monumental in the ARRL Awards and QSL Bureau in managing day-to-day work processes,” said Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager. “She was the go-to person for Logbook, DXCC Online, and the Legacy DXCC System. She had a graceful demeanor in helping all members and others with their DXCC Award needs.” Jahnke also noted her extraordinary attention to detail, adding that she often backed up her email reminders with Post-it notes to ensure nothing was overlooked.

 

Former ARRL Manager of Field Services and Radiosport Dave Patton, KW9A, recalled that a previous manager affectionately called Sharon “Radar,” after the M*A*S*H television show character, because “she always seemed to know what he needed or was about to ask her.” Patton added, “My most embedded impression of Sharon was of her calm, even demeanor in the face of most anything. She just rolled with whatever dilemma needed her attention and took care of it.” He also remembered that Sharon handled urgent and sensitive member requests — including expediting a DXCC plaque to a terminally ill ARRL member — with compassion and care.

 

Colleagues Deborah Voigt and Gloria Flores reflected on Sharon’s sense of humor and the joy she brought to the office. “I will never forget her laugh,” said Production Coordinator Margie Bourgoin, W1MRG. “She laughed with her entire soul.”

 

Sharon deeply valued the relationships she built with DXers over the years and enjoyed their visits to ARRL Headquarters, their messages, and their shared passion for amateur radio. Her outlook reflected her resilience and practicality. As one colleague remembered her saying, “Eh, it is what it is — and we’ll now fix it and make it better!”

 

Throughout her 32 years of service, Sharon supported countless members with grace, patience, and a genuine desire to help. She cared deeply about her coworkers and the amateur radio community she served. Her steady presence and kind heart will be greatly missed.

 

An online is available.

 

 

Amateur Radio in the News

“” / WANE 15 (Indiana) February 11, 2026 -- The American Radio Relay League Indiana Section.

 

ARRL Live Events and Podcasts

On the Air LIVE

Ever wondered what it’s really like to take a low-power radio into the field and make contacts with just a few watts? Did you know you can conduct a POTA (Parks on the Air) operation with a super small QRP transceiver, an ultralight antenna, and a smartphone? Join ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he discusses the challenge and fun of QRP field operations. He will cover beginner-friendly basics like small QRP rigs, antenna selections, batteries, and CW versus digital modes. He will discuss his favorite QRP equipment and techniques. If you’re curious about portable operation or ready to take your first steps into QRP, then join Wayne on the ARRL's Learning Center, , on February 24 at 8 PM Eastern. The livestream is free to ARRL members. Preregistration is required and can be accomplished on the Learning Center website.

 

Up Next:

 

📅 Date: February 24, 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

 

Repeater Basics

The On the Air podcast goes back to basics in the February 2026 episode, when QST Technical Editor Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH, joins the podcast to discuss what repeaters are, how they work, and what you need in order to access your local repeater. | | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.

 

 

Announcements

(IDEC) in Irvine, California, is offering a Technician-level amateur radio licensing course and more than 100 residents — including many from the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) — registered for the program’s introductory session. Over 80 participants attended the initial in-person orientation, and 65 have formally enrolled in the guided online training course as they continue toward earning their FCC Technician Class license. IDEC is a volunteer organization of licensed amateur radio operators that supports the City of Irvine’s emergency preparedness plan and assists the Irvine Police Department by providing emergency communications during disasters and other incidents when conventional systems may fail. The eight-week course is designed for individuals with little or no prior technical background. Instruction covers amateur radio rules and regulations, operating practices, basic electronics, radio theory, and safety. The program combines weekly instructor-led Zoom review sessions, in-person classroom meetings featuring equipment demonstrations, and a final in-person examination session. IDEC members serve as instructors and mentors throughout the course, providing guidance, answering questions, and introducing participants to the role amateur radio plays in local emergency response and public service. Additional information about IDEC and future training opportunities is available at .

 

In Brief...

The , in Romance, Arkansas, will operate special event station AB5E, on Valentines Day February 14, 2026, from 1700Z - 2300Z. Contact frequency is 14.260 MHz. A QSL certificate will be available.

 

William Reed Whitten, AB4W, passed away on January 22, 2026. He was 85 years old. Whitten served as the ARRL North Carolina Section Manager from April 1988 through March 2000. An avid amateur radio operator, he held an Amateur Extra class license and was active in local radio clubs and an adviser for the Special Olympics radio communications in Raleigh. Whitten founded RF Projects and helped install radio towers, including work on the World Trade Center in New York, and supported classical radio station WCPE. He graduated from George Washington University and pursued doctoral studies in chemistry at Georgetown University. After moving to North Carolina, Whitten taught in the chemistry department at UNC – Chapel Hill. He later served the State of North Carolina at the Department of Administration in Raleigh. There will be a celebration of life service at a later date.

 

 

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:

 

Operations Administrative Assistant

Membership Manager

RFI Lab Engineer

Public Relations and Outreach Manager

IT Support Specialist

 

Full details may be found on the ARRL HR web page at .

 

ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.

 

 

 

The ARRL Solar Report

Solar image courtesy of NASA/SDO February 12, 2026.

ARRL Solar Report February 12, 2026

 

Solar activity reached moderate levels early this week. The strongest event was an M1.4 flare observed on February 11 in Region 4366. This region also produced nine C-class flares.

 

Region 4373 produced a C1.8/Sf flare on February 11. This region displayed some minor area growth. Regions 4369 and 4371 exhibited some minor decay. The other spotted regions remained unchanged. New Region 4375 was numbered. A small loop structure near S22W80 erupted around February10.

 

Around the same time, a large filament (located near N15W25) lifted off and disappeared from GONG H-alpha imagery. Between faint features in disk imagery and a data gap in STEREO coronagraph imagery, it is difficult to determine whether the filament is superimposed over the earlier eruption or largely fell back down to the Sun. Analysis of the coronagraph structure indicates there is no Earth-directed component. However, there is the potential for interaction between the eruption and the co-rotating interaction region (CIR) ahead of an anticipated high-speed stream, which may cause the CIR to become compressed and arrive later than under ambient conditions.

 

Solar activity is expected to be at low levels through February 14. Probability for M-class (R1-R2) flares dropped to a slight chance on February 12 – 14, with a slight chance for X-class (R3 or greater) flares on February 12 as Region 4366 continues to rotate behind the western limb.

 

Solar Wind Update

 

Solar wind parameters continued to reflect waning influence of a negative polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) with discrete mild disturbances likely associated with embedded transient structures. Solar wind speeds remained generally elevated, slowly decreasing from ~500 km/s to ~400 km/s by the end of the reporting period.

 

The solar wind environment near Earth is likely to be mostly undisturbed on February 12 - 13 as there are no recurrent or transient disturbances anticipated those days. On February 14, the wind environment is expected to become more enhanced late in the day due to CIR effects from a large positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) coupled with possible weak CME effects from the February 11 eruption.

 

The 10.7-centimeter flux: February 12, 150; February 13, 145; February 14, 140; February 15, 150; February 16, 160; February 17, 160; February 18, 180.

 

Predicted sunspots: February 12, 120; February 13, 116; February 14, 125; February 15,112; February 16, 131; February 17, 108; February 18, 135.

 

For more information concerning radio propagation, the ARRL Technical Information Service, read , and the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.

 

For customizable propagation charts, visit the .

 

 

Just Ahead in Radiosport

  • February 13 - 14 -- YLRL YL - OM Contest (CW, phone, digital)
  • February 14 -- PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint (digital)
  • February 14 - 15 -- CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest (digital)
  • February 14 -- Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint (CW)
  • February 14 - 15 -- Russian PSK WW Contest (digital)
  • February 14 - 15 -- KCJ Topband Contest (CW)
  • February 14 - 15 -- Dutch PACC Contest (CW, phone)
  • February 14 - 15 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
  • February 14 - 15 -- OMISS QSO Party (phone)
  • February 14 -- RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest (phone)
  • February 15 -- Balkan HF Contest (CW, phone)
  • February 15 - 16 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
  • February 19 - 20 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
  • February 21 - 22 -- (CW)
  • February 21 - 22 -- REF Contest SSB (phone)
  • February 21 - 22 -- South Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
  • February 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
  • February 22 -- World Wide Argentina DX Contest (CW, phone, digital)
  • February 22 -- High Speed Club CW Contest (CW)
  • February 23 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)

 

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

  • March 14 - 15 | Workshop, hosted by ARRL in New Britain & Newington, Connecticut
  • April 4 | , hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • May 15 - 17 | n, Xenia, Ohio
  • June 5 - 7 | , hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon
  • June 26 - 28 | , International Amateur Radio Exhibition, Friedrichshafen, Germany
  • August 7 - 8 | , hosting the ARRL Delta Division Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana
  • August 13 - 16 | , ARRL New England Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts
  • August 15 | ℠, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention
  • August 22 - 23 | , hosting the 2026 , Huntsville, Alabama
  • October 10 | , hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
  • October 16 - 18 | , ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California

 

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