ARRL

Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra. Technician License The Technician class license is the entry-level license of choice for most new ham radio operators.

The ARRL Solar Update Solar flare activity is expected to remain at very low levels, with a chance for isolated C-class flares through September 19, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

Get Ready for Jamboree on the Air “We've got scouts, we've got a special event call sign, and we'd love as many hams as possible — near and far — to come find us on the air.” That’s how Sal Mancuso, W6SAL, is promoting Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) 2026 on behalf of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council of Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).

Contest University Celebrates 100 Years of Yagis The Yagi-Uda beam antenna was invented 100 years ago, in 1926, and Contest University (CTU) is celebrating its centennial with a live Zoom webinar this Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 1600 UTC (noon Eastern). The free webinar, titled “The Yagi Turns 100,” will be available online at https://w3lif.org/yagi. There is no pre-registration. Click on the link before 1600 Zulu on Saturday to watch.

The ARRL Solar Update Solar flare activity was at low levels in the past week with isolated C-class flare activity, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. The largest flare of the period was a C3.4 on September 8 from otherwise stable Region 4528. Region 4530 developed asymmetric penumbra on both its leading and trailing poles while undergoing consolidation in its intermediate area. New flux emergence in the intermediate area was observed late in the period.

Special HAARP Transmission for 9/11 To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will be making a special transmission on 9.11 MHz at 0030-0035 UTC on September 12, 2026 (8:30-8:35 PM eastern time Friday evening).

Educator Everton Henriques, KD2ZZT, shared his experience using amateur radio to inspire students and bring engineering and technology to life in the classroom during his keynote at the 2026 ARRL New England Division Convention, hosted by Northeast HamXposition in Massachusetts on August 15. A video recording is available on ARRL’s YouTube channel. Everton is an Engineering and Technology Teacher at Staten Island (NY) Technical High School.

Ed. Note: Details in this article were culled from the November 2001 QST article, “9/11/01: ‘This is Not a Test’ ” by Rick Lindquist, N1RL, and Diane Ortiz, K2DO. The original article is available here (PDF). Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, the United States came under attack from al-Qaeda terrorists who hijacked passenger planes and flew them into buildings in New York City and Washington, DC, as well as a field in western Pennsylvania when passengers fought back.

Former ARRL Chief Operating Officer (COO) Harold Robert Kramer, WJ1B, of Cheshire, Connecticut, passed away on Monday, August 31, 2026, at age 78. Kramer served as COO and QST Publisher from 2005 to 2016, following a career in broadcasting. He was an ARRL Life Member and donor, supporting the Diamond Club, the Second Century Campaign, and the ARRL Lab.

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has announced that the candidates for the 2026 ARRL Division elections are now official. ARRL members will choose between two candidates for Director in the Delta, Great Lakes, and Midwest Divisions, and two candidates for Vice Director in the Midwest Division. The Director positions in the Atlantic and Dakota Divisions are unopposed, as are the Vice Director positions in the Atlantic, Dakota, and Delta Divisions.