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Join ARRL in Celebrating America’s 250th – On the Air! |
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In 2026, ARRL is commemorating America’s 250th birthday with a yearlong on-the-air celebration: the America250 Worked All States (WAS) Award. Running from January 1 through December 31, this special operating event challenges amateurs of all license classes to contact all 50 US states and confirm those QSOs via ARRL’s Logbook of The World
(LoTW). Modeled after the classic WAS Award, America250 WAS encourages activity across nearly every band — from LF through microwaves — and on CW, phone, and digital, culminating in a commemorative, frame-worthy WAS certificate.
Participants can pursue America250 WAS in many ways, with endorsements recognizing achievements by band, by mode, Triple Play (all three modes), by satellite, by contacting ARRL Affiliated Club Stations in all 50 states, and by contacting W1AW/portable in all 50 states. Throughout 2026, the iconic W1AW call sign will be “loaned” to stations nationwide, activating each state twice during the year. All confirmations are handled through LoTW, making it easy to track progress and apply for awards and endorsements.
ARRL members can read all the details in the Jan/Feb 2026
issue of On the Air magazine.
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Look for the following W1AW/portable activations. Operations begin 0000z on Wednesday, and end on 2359z Tuesday (7 days total for each activation). See the complete schedule at www.arrl.org/america250-was.
W1AW Portable Schedule – America250 Worked All States
01/07/2026 -- New York, W1AW/2 (hosts WU2M/NQ2U/KD2QLH)
01/07/2026 -- Nebraska, W1AW/0 (host KA0BOJ)
01/14/2026 -- West Virginia, W1AW/8 (host W8CMK)
01/14/2026 -- Louisiana, W1AW/5 (host N5YS)
01/14/2026 -- South Carolina, W1AW/4 (host KG9V)
01/21/2026 -- Illinois, W1AW/9 (host W9KXQ)
01/28/2026 -- Maine, W1AW/1 (host N1EP)
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Richard Dean Straw, N6BV, ARRL “Antenna Expert,” Silent Key |
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by Mark Derks, KC1RVQ, ARRL Headquarters Staff
Richard Dean Straw (“Dean”), N6BV, died on July 9, 2025. Amateur radio was one of his passions.
Dean retired from the ARRL staff in 2008 following 15 years of service as the Senior Assistant Technical Editor.
***
In 2006, the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) was held in Florianópolis, Brazil, a coastal city that straddles both Santa Catarina Island and the Brazilian mainland.
Not far inland, snow-capped mountains climb into the clouds, and miles of glittering, sandy beaches ring the city.
The climate is subtropical and supports a dizzying diversity of plant and animal life from swaying palms to visiting American tourists.
Among those visiting tourists, in this case for the WRTC as part of the PT5J team, was Dean Straw, N6BV. Accompanying him was his beloved wife, Rayma.
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Richard Dean Straw (“Dean”), N6BV, SK | 1946 – 2025 | | | |
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Dean was born on another island, thousands of miles from Florianopolis, in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1946. He lived there until he came to the mainland to study electrical engineering at Yale University.
After graduating, he worked in radio design in Massachusetts at the National Radio Company, as well as in North Carolina, San Francisco, and on Cape Cod.
“He had a great ability to pull calls out of the noise,” his counterpart in PT5J in WRTC, Mark Obermann, AG9A, recalled. “Must have had some extra processing gain inside his noggin.” While Dean and Mark wouldn’t win the contest that year, they posted an impressive score of 1,333,789. After the contest, while vacationing in Brazil, Obermann relayed an anecdote that involved another of Straw’s hobbies, competitive running.
Dean and Rayma were in Rio de Janeiro, when “a kid stole Dean’s 35mm camera.” Being a long-distance runner, Dean chased after him for several miles before it occurred to him that catching the kid might be dangerous, and that possibly “getting killed was not worth getting the camera back.” Indeed, Dean would live many years beyond that trip to Brazil, passing away from complications of an extended battle with Parkinson’s disease. Rayma Mui, his wife of 38 years, survives him, as do sons Geoff and Rick.
Not only is Dean remembered among hams for his contesting prowess, but for his tenure in the Publications Department at ARRL Headquarters.
He edited five editions of The ARRL Antenna Book (the most of any named editor), four volumes of The ARRL Antenna Compendium (4 – 7), and several editions of The ARRL Handbook. Former QST Editor and ARRL author Steve Ford, WB8IMY, recalled his time with Dean.
He “became my ‘antenna mentor’ when I joined the Headquarters staff.
Until I met Dean, I didn’t even know that ladder line existed” or about its “low-loss characteristics.
He helped me incorporate it into my home station and then collaborated with me in writing a popular QST article about my experience.” The article was titled “The Lure of the Ladder Line” and appeared in the December 1993 issue.
Continue reading this remembrance on ARRL News
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January Contests for 2026 |
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This weekend kicks off three great weekends of amateur radio contests.
The North American QSO Party, CW, (NAQP) runs from 1800 UTC January 10 – 0559 UTC January 11, 2026, and is a favorite of both newly-licensed amateurs and seasoned operators.
The NAQP contests are for low power only, no amplifiers allowed, which makes for a lot more breathing room on the bands.
Multipliers count once per band, which makes for an exciting format, as multipliers may be ‘moved’ from band to band. The NAQPs allow stations from all parts of North America to be in the running for top spots.
If you prefer single sideband (SSB), that portion of the contest runs next weekend, from 1800 UTC January 17 - 0559 UTC January 18, 2026. Also next weekend, the North American Collegiate Championship, SSB, runs at the same time, 1800 UTC January 17 - 0559 UTC January 18.
Winter Field Day 2026 (WFD) is up next, scheduled to run from 1600 UTC (11 AM EST) Saturday, January 24 through 2159 UTC (4:59 PM EST) Sunday, January 25. Stations may begin setting up at 1600 UTC on Friday, January 23. However, cumulative set-up time may not exceed 12 hours. You can review the complete rules, including this year’s changes, at Rules - WFDA.
Also, remember to mark your calendar for 2026 ARRL Field Day on June 27 - 28. For additional information, visit www.arrl.org/field-day
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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“Tehachapi Amateur Radio Association to host inaugural Wintertide Disaster Outreach” / Tehachapi News (California) January 5, 2026 -- The Tehachapi Amateur Radio Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
“General Patton’s chaplain to be honored at Afton ham-radio event” / Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minnesota) January 6, 2026 -- The Stillwater Amateur Radio Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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ARRL Live Events and Podcasts |
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On the Air LIVE
Join ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he dives into Near Vertical Incidence Skywave Antennas and why they're a powerhouse for dependable regional HF communications.
Up Next:
📅 Date: January 27, 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
The America250 Worked All States Operating Event
This year ARRL is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by holding an all-year operating event called America 250 Worked All States. It has already started, so listen to the January 2026 On the Air podcast to learn how to jump right in. ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, explains the rules and awards, and offers some operating strategies.
More info
| Listen on Blubrry
| Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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John Bartscherer, N1GNV (SK), better known in the amateur radio community as John Bee, owner of Quicksilver Radio Products, passed away on October 25, 2025. He was first licensed in 1989 and held an Amateur Extra class license. Prior to founding Quicksilver Radio Products, he was the ARRL Advertising Manager for four years.
He is survived by his children, Elizabeth and Jay, and his brother Michael.
Following Bartscherer’s passing, Quicksilver was closed for reorganization, but has just announced its reopening.
The company’s new retail store is now open in New Holland, Pennsylvania.
Quicksilver’s West Coast store in Anaheim, California, is still in operation.
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The Intrepid-DX Group
has announced 23-year-old Peter Schimmelbusch, W7HPS, from Rexburg, Idaho, as the winner of its 2025 "Amateur Radio for the Greater Good" competition. His proposal is for the newly-formed Upper Valley Amateur Radio Society, of which he is founder and president, to install a public access amateur radio station at the Madison County Sheriff’s Department Search-and-Rescue facility, which the department has already authorized. The Intrepid-DX Group will be providing Schimmelbusch and his club an HF base station, a VHF/UHF mobile station, a VHF/UHF base antenna, coax, a power supply, and a multi-band HF vertical antenna. “This year, we received a number of outstanding proposals to benefit the community through amateur radio,” said Intrepid-DX Group President Paul Ewing, N6PSE. You can see Schimmelbusch’s entire proposal on the Intrepid-DX Group Facebook page.
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Nominations are now open for the three Heritage CQ Magazine Halls of Fame, each now administered by a different person or organization. The Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the amateur radio hobby. More information is available on the hamgallery.com
website. Nominations should be sent by February 28 to Tom Roscoe, K8CX at k8cx@hamgallery.com. The subject line should include “CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.” The CQ Contest Hall of Fame, administered by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, recognizes amateurs who have made major contributions to the art of radio competition. Details are available on the WWROF website. Nomination deadline is March 1. Nominations should be sent to John Dorr, K1AR, at cqk1ar@gmail.com. The CQ DX Hall of Fame, administered by INDEXA, also has a March 1 deadline. This recognition honors those who organize major DXpeditions or make other significant contributions to DXing. Nominations should be sent to Bob Schenck, N2OO, at n2oo@comcast.net, with “CQ DX Hall of Fame” in the subject line.
Inductees to all three halls of fame will be announced on Dayton Hamvention® weekend in mid-May.
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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:
Membership Manager
Senior 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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Solar image courtesy of NASA/SDO January 8, 2026. | | |
ARRL Solar Update January 8, 2026
Solar activity continued at low levels this past week.
The largest flare was a C7.4/Sf on December 6 from Region 4334. Slight growth and separation was observed in this region.
Growth and increased magnetic complexity was observed in Region 4336. New Region 4337 was numbered.
Multiple faint coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed off the SE limb originating from Region 4334. However, modeling appeared to show no Earth-directed component.
Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance (45%) for M-class flares (R1-R2, minor-moderate), and a slight chance (10%) for isolated X-class flares (R3-strong) between January 8 – 10.
Solar wind parameters became mildly enhanced after January 7. These conditions are expected to continue on January 8. A further enhancement is expected early on January 9 with the arrival of a coronal hole high speed stream (CH/HSS) and possible influences from a January 6 CME. Solar wind speeds in excess of 600 km/s are likely, based on recurrent values.
HSS influence is expected to persist through January 10.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: January 8, 140; January 9 - 10, 135; January 11, 130; January 12 -13, 135; January 14, 140.
Predicted sunspots: January 8, 123; January 9, 118; January 10, 130; January 11, 114; January 12, 135; January 13, 110; January 14, 141.
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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January 10 -- YB DX Contest (phone)
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January 10 -- Old New Year Contest (CW, phone)
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January 10 - 11 -- UBA PSK63 Prefix Contest (digital)
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January 10 - 11 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
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January 10 - 11 -- North American QSO Party (CW)
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January 11 -- NRAU-Baltic Contest, SSB (phone)
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January 11 -- DARC 10m Contest (CW, phone)
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January 11 -- NRAU-Baltic Contest (CW)
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January 12 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
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January 14 - 18 -- AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest (CW)
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January 15 - 16 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
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January 15 -- NTC QSO Party (CW)
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January 17 - 18 -- Hungarian DX Contest (CW, phone)
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January 17 - 19 -- PRO DIGI Contest (digital)
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January 17 - 18 -- North American QSO Party, SSB (phone)
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January 17 - 18 -- NA Collegiate Championship, SSB (phone)
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January 17 - 19 -- ARRL January VHF Contest (CW, phone, digital)
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January 17 - 18 -- Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
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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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January 10 | Ham Radio University, ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville, New York
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January 16 - 17 | Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest, ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention, Fort Myers, Florida
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January 30 - 31 | Jackson MS Capital City Hamfest, ARRL Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
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February 7 | Hendricks County Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Indiana Section Convention, Danville, Indiana
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February 13 - 15 | Orlando HamCation, hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
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February 20 - 21 | Greater Houston HamFest, hosting the ARRL Texas State Convention, Rosenberg, Texas
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February 27 - 28 | ARRL Southwestern Division Convention, Yuma Arizona
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February 28 | HAM-CON, ARRL Vermont State Convention, Colchester, Vermont
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention
Database to find events in your area.
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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 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.
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!
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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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