The ARRL Letter for April 16, 2026 undefined

 

 

 

The ARRL Letter

 

, Editor | April 16, 2026

 

In this Issue:

 

World Amateur Radio Day Ready for Activity

 

 

All is ready for World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) 2026. Activity begins on Saturday, April 18, as amateur radio operators and their national societies worldwide celebrate the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris, France. Hiram Percy Maxim, co-founder of ARRL, served as its first president. Since its founding, ARRL has served as the IARU International Secretariat.

 

ARRL is encouraging radio clubs to use WARD or any time during the month of April to host a Ham Radio Open House… and there is still time to do that! Just set up a working amateur radio station anywhere to showcase your club’s station and promote amateur radio science and technology to the public. Check out ARRL’s Ham Radio Open House Station Locator at . To date, 30 clubs have added their locations to the locator map, including California, Hawaii, and Iowa.

 

Visit for ideas and activities to engage your community or school radio club in World Amateur Radio Day and Ham Radio Open House.

 

 

Below-Average Hurricane Season Predicted for 2026

An initial prediction for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season suggests slightly fewer storms than average, due to the anticipated development of El Niño conditions in the coming months. The forecast from Colorado State University predicts 13 named storms — just below the average of 14.4 — of which six are expected to gain hurricane strength and two are likely to become major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). According to the researchers, El Niño is a climate pattern in which warmer-than-normal water temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific increase westerly winds into the Caribbean and eastern Atlantic. This results in greater wind shear that inhibits hurricane formation and strengthening. The forecast also predicts a 20% chance of a major hurricane making landfall along the US Gulf coast this year, along with a 15% chance of a major hurricane hitting the Atlantic coast. Accuweather has its own early forecast, similar but less specific, predicting 11-16 named storms, including 4-7 hurricanes and 2-4 major hurricanes.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is expected to release its initial predictions for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season in mid-May. Assessing tropical storm-related hazards inland will be easier this year with enhancements to NHC’s frequently-used “cone” maps, which will now show watches and warnings inland as well as along the coasts. Many tropical storms and hurricanes cause significant damage after coming ashore.

 

An example of the 2026 version of the cone graphic for Hurricane Milton (2024) that shows inland watches and warnings. [Image courtesy NOAA National Hurricane Center]

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) groups in all hurricane-prone areas are advised to remain vigilant regardless of the forecasts. ARRL Emergency Communications and Field Services Director Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, noted that the watchword at the recent National Hurricane Conference (at which he was a presenter) was, "It only takes one bad storm to be a bad year." ARRL has memoranda of understanding to work cooperatively with a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies that are active in response to hurricanes and other disasters.

 

 

Helping NASA Track Artemis II’s Orion Spacecraft

The University of Pittsburgh’s (PARC) had a unique opportunity last week...helping NASA track Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft on its mission to the moon and back!

 

Faculty advisor Juan Manfredi, NAØB, said the club responded to a request from NASA to submit a proposal. “We submitted our proposal in September 2025 and were notified in November that our proposal was accepted,” said Manfredi. “But the real challenge was just beginning and we needed to gather the equipment, test it, and make sure we could make contact.”

 

From left to right, Panther Amateur Radio Club hardware expert Jake Wendt, KC3NBE, and software expert Sawyer Mervis (no call yet) on the roof with the equipment to track Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft. [Photo courtesy of Jaun Manfredi, NAØB]

 

For their part, the club’s members needed to find and track a carrier signal from the spacecraft. Usually, a 9-meter dish antenna would be needed, but with help from the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), they were able to purchase a 1.2-meter dish and a software-defined radio (SDR).

 

Manfredi said there were two final challenges. “Because of our location, we needed to be on the roof of our building between 4 and 6 AM every day. And, because we are located in the Northern Hemisphere, we only had about a 20-degree window to acquire the signal.”

 

In all, five club members took turns and were able to acquire the spacecraft signal on the second and fourth days of the mission. The information was recorded and is still being analyzed.

 

For the club members, what was their reaction to this opportunity? “Fantastic!” said Manfredi. “Twenty years from now, they may not remember who taught them calculus but will remember cold nights and mornings at 4:00 AM on the roof tracking a spacecraft.”

 

The PARC is 111 years old and received its first experimental license, 8YI, in 1915. It is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

 

 

Amateur Radio in the News

“” Trib|Live (Pennsylvania) April 8, 2026 -- The Panther Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club. (See story above)

 

“” Linton News (Indiana) April 13, 2026 -- Martin F. Jue (K5FLU) President of MFJ Enterprises.

 

“” / Daily Journal (Indiana) April 15, 2026 -- The Mid-state Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

 

 

ARRL Live Events and Podcasts

On the Air LIVE

Join ARRL's Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he discusses and demonstrates how to use Software Defined Radios. Whether you are curious about using the SDR to explore the RF spectrum or looking to integrate them into your home station, this session will break down the basics and show you how to get started. He will demonstrate how to monitor the amateur bands, air band, and some very interesting things you can monitor on the HF bands. You can catch On the Air Live on the ARRL's learning center, , on April 28th, at 8pm Eastern. Pre-registration is required and can be accomplished on the Learning Center.

 

📅 Date: April 28, 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

 

Journey to a Hamfest

Brian D. Karcher, KG5GJT, joins the podcast in support of his March/April 2026 On the Air article, “Journey to a Hamfest.” If you haven’t been to a hamfest or ham radio convention yet, listen in to find out what to expect — from operating, to shopping, to meeting old friends and making new ones! | | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.

 

 

Announcements

The following America250 W1AW Portable Activations begin 0000z on Wednesdays, and end 2359z on Tuesdays (7 days total for each activation). See the complete schedule at .

 

04/15/2026 Delaware W1AW/3 (host KC3DSO)

04/15/2026 Idaho W1AW/7 (host ND7L)

04/22/2026 Iowa W1AW/Ø (host WBØGAG)

04/22/2026 Wisconsin W1AW/9 (host W9XT)

 

Webinar: Promoting ARRL Field Day | Thursday, Apr 23

Attention Public Information Coordinators and Public Information Officers! 2026 ARRL Field Day is June 27 - 28, but it's already time to begin planning to promote amateur radio's #1 annual demonstration! And this is a special year with ARRL’s partnership with America250 and this year’s Field Day theme, Amateur Radio: A National Resource.

 

Back by popular demand…the members of the ARRL Public Relations Committee have organized Zoom meetings to provide training, tips, and best practices to help you in your role to promote ARRL Field Day. These meetings are intended for ARRL Public Information Officers, Public Information Coordinators, and other ARRL Section volunteers. Before attending these meetings, please review the resources at and prepare any questions you may have.

 

Register now. Use the following links to register for the session you want to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026, - Best Practices & Tips for Promoting Field Day (choose a time)

ARRL South Dakota Section Manager Nick Hauser, KTØW [Photo courtesy of Nick Hauser]

New Section Manager Appointed in South Dakota. Nick Hauser, KTØW, of Yankton, has been appointed as the ARRL South Dakota Section Manager, effective April 9, 2026. He takes the reins of the South Dakota Section Field Organization from Chris Stallkamp, KIØD, who was of the ARRL Dakota Division on March 31. Hauser's appointment as Section Manager continues through June 30, 2028. The ARRL Dakota Division includes Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

 

In Brief...

More hams are on the air in California! The Irvine Disaster Emergency Community team (IDEC) continues to have success for its Technician-level amateur radio licensing course. The latest study/exam session ran February 9 - 23, 2026, and was conducted by the . A total of 43 exams were administered to 32 applicants during the testing session. Of those, 27 participants passed, resulting in an overall success rate of 84%. In addition to the scheduled session, two IDEC training participants were tested in advance by K6PB, along with several volunteer examiners from the San Diego County Amateur Radio Council (). Both candidates successfully passed the Technician exam, with one also earning a General Class license. The IDEC program continues to support the growth of trained amateur radio operators, encouraging them to join IDEC, while strengthening emergency communications capabilities within CERT and the community at large. For more information about upcoming courses and licensing opportunities, contact IDEC via the website.

 

 

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:

 

Awards Program Supervisor

Membership Manager

RFI Lab Engineer

Public Relations and Outreach Manager

 

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

 

ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.

 

 

 

 

 

The ARRL Solar Report

New solar disk image courtesy of NASA/SDO, April 16, 2026

ARRL Solar Report for April 16, 2026

 

Solar activity was at very low levels with only isolated B-class flaring, mostly from Region 4416.

 

There are currently four numbered regions on the visible disk. Region 4416 remains the largest group by area but exhibited signs of structural weakening, including flux submergence and a slight decay of its intermediary pores. Region 4419 was the most complex group on the disk and showed flux emergence, growth, and divergence within its intermediary spots, leading to the development of a mixed-polarity gamma configuration. Region 4418 is trending toward plage with only two small bipolar pores remaining and Region 4415 remained stable. CMEs observed in coronagraph imagery were determined to be directed away from Earth.

 

Solar activity is expected to be at low to very low levels, with a slight chance for M-flares (R1-R2/minor-moderate) through April 17.

 

Solar wind parameters reflected waning coronal hole high speed stream influences toward a nominal regime. Solar wind speeds underwent a gradual, albeit erratic, decline from early-period highs near 420 km/s, to stabilize around 375 km/s by the end of the reporting period. The phi angle was predominantly oriented in a positive (away from the Sun) direction.

 

Solar wind parameters are expected to remain primarily near nominal levels through April 16. Significant enhancements are anticipated on April 17 with the onset of a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) that will precede the arrival of a negative polarity high-speed stream (-CH HSS).

 

The 10.7-centimeter flux: April 16, 105; April 17 - 19, 110; April 20, 120; April 21, 130; April 22, 140.

 

Predicated sunspots: April 16, 109; April 17, 104; April 18, 115; April 19, 101; April 20, 119; April 21, 95; April 22, 124.

 

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

  • April 16 - 17-- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
  • April 17 - 20 -- Florida State Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 17 - 18 -- World Wide Holyland Contest (CW, phone)
  • April 18 - 19 -- Texas State Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 10 -- ES Open HF Championship (CW, phone)
  • April 18 - 19 -- Worked All Provinces of China DX Contest (phone)
  • April 18 -- Dutch PACCdigi Contest (digital)
  • April 18 -- QRP to the Field (CW, phone)
  • April 18 - 19 -- CQMM DX Contest (CW)
  • April 18 - 19 -- World Time Zone Challenge (CW, phone)
  • April 18 - 19 -- Georgia State Parks on the Air (CW, phone, digital)
  • April 18 - 19 -- Michigan QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • April 18 - 19 -- EA-QRP CW Contest (CW)
  • April 18 - 19 -- Ontario QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • April 19 -- International Vintage Contest HF (CW, phone)
  • April 19 -- Quebec QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • April 19 -- (phone)
  • April 19 - 20 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)

 

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

 

Have News for ARRL?

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