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.

All daily sunspot numbers this week were 97 or less.

Perhaps this indicates a move off of solar maximum, or to a future
with a second maximum.

Solar activity was way...

Average daily sunspot number plummeted to 104.4.

Weekly Commentary on the Sun, the Magnetosphere, and the Earth's Ionosphere for December 12, 2024 from OK1HH:

"The high solar activity in October this year suggests that this may have been the peak of an 11-year cycle.  This is not to say that solar activity will not continue to rise.  On the contrary, it may well be that the first maximum of the...

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology (TI) continues to grow. Fresh off a highly successful YouTube telethon that raised more than $41,000 for the program, some of next year’s dates have been announced. Applications are now open.

The program is growing, and educators will have the opportunity to attend sessions around the country. “We love having the teachers here at ARRL Headquarte...

We are at the peak of Solar Cycle 25, and the 10-meter amateur radio band has been providing impressive propagation lately. Recent reports of “wide open” band conditions make this weekend’s ARRL 10-Meter Contest a great opportunity to take advantage of the best conditions of a generation. “I’ve been leaving the mobile radio on 10-meters for the drive into work each day,” said ARRL Regulatory an...

Solar activity seems to have dropped dramatically from a recent peak.  Are we over the cycle peak and headed down again?  Too early to say.

Daily average sunspot numbers this week sank to 120.1.

Predicted solar flux is 175 on December 6 to 8, 170 on December 9 and 10, 175 on December 11 and 12, and 205 on December 13 to 17.

Predicted planetary A index is 8 on December 6 and 7, 5 on December to ...

Applications are now being accepted for campers interested in attending the 2025 Youth on the Air Camp. Licensed amateur radio operators, ages 15 through 25, who want to attend are encouraged to apply online at YouthOnTheAir.org. The camp is scheduled to take place June 15 - 20, 2025, in Thornton (Denver), Colorado and the Denver Radio Club, an ARRL Affiliated Club, is the local host.

The curren...

December brings two ARRL-sponsored single-band contests. The ARRL 160-Meter Contest begins Friday, December 6 at 2200 UTC and concludes on Sunday, December 8 at 1559 UTC. Stations in the US (including Alaska, Hawaii, and US possessions) and Canada can contact any station; stations located overseas can only contact US and Canadian stations. Contacts may be made using the CW mode only. See the co...

A YouTube telethon to raise money for the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology was a resounding success. More than $21,000 was contributed during the livestream, which unlocked another $20,000 that donors had set out as a challenge gift. ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL, says that upped the ante. “It's quite clear that even with the generosity of the donors in attendance...

The 25th Annual SKYWARNTM Recognition Day (SRD) is Saturday, December 7. SRD recognizes the work of amateur and non-ham SKYWARN storm spotters in keeping their communities safe during severe weather. Trained spotters provide observations of “ground truth” to regional National Weather Service (NWS) offices.

While meteorologists have advanced remote sensing data like radar, satellite, and weather...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® is grateful to its members, who allow us to do the work on their behalf of promoting and protecting amateur radio and inspiring future generations to make ham radio and wireless technology a part of their lives. No one does more for amateur radio. ARRL is globally recognized by radio amateurs and the public for advancing amateur radio, through su...

ARRL Headquarters was closed on November 29. So, this regular Friday
bulletin was moved to the following Monday (12/2).

Solar activity increased during the current reporting week, November
21-27. Average daily sunspot number rose to 155.7, and average daily
solar flux was 282.2.

Weekly Commentary on the Sun, the Magnetosphere, and the Earth's
Ionosphere - November 28, 2024, by F. K. Janda, OK1HH:

"Aft...

One final reminder about the YouTube telethon to raise money for the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology that will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, on the Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel.

It will be hosted by YouTuber Josh Nass, KI6NAZ. Quite a few amateur radio content creators will join Nass and others on the stream. ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, ...

ARRL® The National Association for Amateur Radio® has published its 2023 Annual Report, which includes a summary of the year’s program activities, along with the 2023 and 2022 financial statements and an independent auditor’s report.

ARRL marked 2023 as the Year of the Volunteers, recognizing the nearly 57,000 volunteers who contribute to supporting the organization and the wider amateur radio c...

Santa Claus will be on the amateur radio airwaves again this year.

The 3.916 Santa Net will be on the air every night at 7:00 PM CST from November 29 through December 24. Reserve a spot with Santa by making a pre-net check in. You can check in each night starting at 6:30 PM CST online at www.CQSanta.com.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on the air, together, thanks to special arrangements with t...

Ed Menasian, N8LPQ, Toledo, Ohio, is the recipient of the 2024 ARRL Technical Service Award. He was presented the award plaque and motion certificate by ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Scott Yonally, N8SY, at a ceremony held November 23 at the Toledo Emergency Management Agency.

The ARRL Technical Service Award is given annually to one or more licensed radio amateurs whose service to the amat...

On Tuesday, November 19, ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters for the ARRL South Carolina Section Manager election that was conducted this fall.

ARRL members in South Carolina have elected incumbent Matthew Crook, W1MRC, to continue as their Section Manager with a new term of office starting on January 1, 2025.  Crook received 296 votes, and his opponent, Billy Irwin, K9OH, of Anderson, re...

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is a tremendously successful advocacy for inspiring youth, and it is growing significantly. The program is entirely donor-funded, and that effort is getting a huge shot in the arm. A YouTube telethon to raise money for the program will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, on the Ham Radio Crash Course channel. ARRL Education and Learning Man...

SKYWARNTM Recognition Day is December 7, 2024. The annual event is celebrating its 25th anniversary. SRD was established in 1999 by the National Weather Service and ARRL® to commemorate the contributions of SKYWARN volunteers. Using amateur radio and other means of communication, SKYWARN spotters provide real time ground truth to NWS offices. The ham-volunteers can also provide vital communicat...

Solar activity was lower this reporting week, November 14-20, with
the average daily sunspot number down from 141.6 to 99.3, and solar
flux from 203.7 to 152.4. Geomagnetic indicators were quiet.

This follows a period during August and October when it seemed we
must be at the peak of Solar Cycle 25. But we won't know that until
nearly a year after solar max, when a long moving average of daily
sunspo...

 ARRL® The National Association for Amateur Radio® has two closures coming up for our headquarters in Newington, Connecticut:

ARRL will close early at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time (1700 UTC) on Thursday, November 21, 2024. The ARRL Headquarters lobby and store, as well as W1AW, will be open to visitors from 8 AM to 12 PM EST on Thursday. There will be no interruptions to the W1AW bulletins or cod...