There are two great contests for amateur radio operators this weekend, January 18 - 20, 2025, and a bonus opportunity for a college club station to win a national championship.

Whether you’re interested in contesting on the HF bands, the VHF bands of 50 MHz and above, or both, there’s likely a contest to fit your needs this weekend. ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said there i...

Sorry to say this is the last ARRL Propagation Forecast Bulletin I
will write.  I took over in 1991 from Ed Tilton, W1HDQ when he was
too ill and weak to continue, and now with ALS I have similar
problems.

Geomagnetic influencers were more stable this week (planetary A
index shifted from 16.9 to 10.7) and solar indicators were weaker.
Average daily sunspot number changed from 159.1 to 103.3 and avera...

DXCC® application processing is back to typical processing times.

In October, we reported that the ARRL DXCC® System had been returned to service following work that was completed to ensure the security and integrity of the system following the cyber-attack in May. Over 4,000 DXCC applications have been logged into the system for processing since returning the system to service.

We are currently ...

Former ARRL and Yaesu employee, World Radiosport Team Championship competitor, and award-winning radio amateur Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, has become a Silent Key. Motschenbacher passed away on January 9, 2025, after a long illness.

Motschenbacher was first licensed at the age of 13. According to his obituary, “His Amateur Radio activities took him to 35 countries and his ham radio call sign, K...

As the firestorms across Southern California continue to threaten millions of residents, trained amateur radio operators are serving critical volunteer roles to help officials spot fires before they get out of control. Dry conditions and wind gusts of 100 miles per hour have fueled days of devastating wildfires. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled by infernos.

The Eaton fire burned to the top...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assessed a record $34,000 forfeiture against an amateur radio licensee for “willfully and repeatedly operating a radio station without authorization and interfering with the radio communications of the United States Forest Service … while the U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands were attempting to direct the operations of fire suppres...

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is going mobile in 2025. In addition to the cohorts hosted at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, there will be several sessions around the United States this year. The first, hosted by ARRL model school Staten Island Technical High School in New York City, will be held January 21-24.

The format is being refined this year from five day...

Solar activity was a bit weak during recent days. Average daily
sunspot number was 159.1. During the previous week the average was
194.7.

Predicted solar flux for the near term is 165 on January 10-11, 160
on January 12, 155 on January 13-17, 200, 210 and 220 on January
18-20, then 230 on January 21-25, then 225, 220, 215, 210, 205 and
200 on January 26-31, 170 on February 1-2, 165 on February 3-4, 1...

By HWN Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV  

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Terrence "Terry" Redding, Sr., Ph.D., W6LMJ, SK. Just before Christmas, I heard from one of Terry’s daughters that he suffered a bad stroke a few months earlier. Sadly, he passed away January 4, 2025. His daughter said he passed holding the hand of his bride as they listened to their favorite song.

A...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be closed on Thursday, January 9, 2025, in observance of the national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. Exam session applications for new and upgraded licenses, as well as individual and club license filings, will not be processed. Application processing will resume when FCC offices reopen on Friday, January 10 at 8:00 AM EST.

The ARRL Foundation has extended the application deadline to its Scholarship Program to Monday, January 13, 11:59 PM EST. 

Information, including the link to apply, can be found on our website here: www.arrl.org/scholarship-program.

All applicants must be active, licensed amateur radio operators.  More than 100 scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000 will be awarded to deserving students.

Click ...

Each year, CWops, an international organization that promotes and advances Morse code (CW) in amateur radio communications, accepts nominations for individuals, groups, and organizations for the CWops Award for Advancing the Art of CW. The award recognizes contributions made toward advancing the art or practice of radio communications by Morse code.

The Radio Officer's Association (ROA) is the r...

Currently a geomagnetic storm is raging. On January 1-2, Alaska's
college A index reached 113.

Predicted planetary A index is 12 on January 3, then 18, 18, 12, 10
and 8 on January 4-8, 5 on January 9-10, 10 and 8 on January 11-12,
5 on January 13-15, 12 on January 16, 10 on January 17-20, 5 on
January 21-25, then 8, 50, 20 and 8 January 26-29.

Predicted solar flux is 215 on January 3-4, then 205, 210...

The first ARRL contest of 2025 is about to begin. The ARRL RTTY Roundup is this weekend. The event begins at 1800 UTC on Saturday, January 4, and concludes at 2359 UTC on Sunday, January 5. Operation is allowed using the RTTY mode on the 80-, 40-, 20-, 15-, and 10-meter bands. “RTTY Roundup is a great opportunity to explore this unique digital mode,” said ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourq...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® will be closed on New Years Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The last W1AW transmission of 2024 will be the regularly scheduled code bulletin at 11 PM Eastern time on Tuesday, December 31 (0400 UTC on January 1). There will be no bulletins, code practice, or visitor operations during the one-day closing. ARRL Headquarters and W1AW will reopen on ...

Strong solar activity continues, with worldwide propagation on 10
and 12 meters quite commonplace.

Predicted solar flux is 255, 250, 210, 200, and 195 on December 30,
2024 through January 3, 2025, 190 on January 4-5, 170 on January 6,
160 on January 7-8, then 165, 170 and 165 on January 9-11, 170 on
January 12-13, 175 on January 14-15, 180 on January 16, 185 on
January 17-18, 200 on January 19-23, 18...

These are periodic updates to an original story published on May 16, 2024.

Updated 12/27/2024

The following is an update on DXCC® application processing:

In October, we reported that the ARRL DXCC® System had been returned to service. Since then, over 3,000 DXCC applications have been logged into the DXCC System for processing. It is important to understand that the queue of submitted applications...

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.

The scholarships have been established by ge...

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.

articipants 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 ...