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CQ SS CQ SS. It’s Sweepstakes Time! 
Talk with your hands this weekend! It’s the CW portion of the 2026 ARRL November Sweepstakes. From 2100 UTC Saturday, November 7, through 0259 UTC Monday, November 9, stations across the United States and Canada will be competing to make contacts with as many other US and Canadian stations as possible on the 160-, 80-, 40-, 20-, 15-, and 10-meter bands.
Find the complete rules at contests.arrl.org/ContestRules/SS-Rules.pdf (PDF).
BONUS: After submitting your contest log, don't forget to upload your QSOs to Logbook of The World® (LoTW®). These contacts may help stations pursuing the ARRL America250 Worked All States Award. Contacts with ARRL Affiliated Clubs may also count toward the award's Affiliated Club endorsement. |
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Experiments designed to study the effects of extreme cold and high altitudes on various materials and objects were the primary payload of an amateur radio high-altitude balloon launched October 10 from the 2026 ARRL Midwest Division Convention, hosted at the SPARK-CON hamfest by Missouri’s Sedalia-Pettis Amateur Radio Klub, an ARRL Affiliated Club.
The helium-filled balloon rose to an altitude of 110,000 feet, or nearly 21 miles, before bursting and parachuting back to the ground. The payload consisted of tracking transmitters, a camera, and experiments developed by students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and cadets from the Missouri Civil Air Patrol. It landed in a tree roughly 30 miles away from its launch point in Sedalia. After the launch, attendees gathered around an exhibit of emergency communication trailers to view the balloon tracking on a large display in real-time.
The SPARK-CON convention October 9-10 at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia drew in hams from across Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. ARRL Director of Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, was the keynote speaker at the convention’s Friday night banquet. |
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| | Missouri Civil Air Patrol cadets help prepare high-altitude balloon for launch from the ARRL Midwest Division Convention in Sedalia, Missouri on October 10. [Sedalia Pettis Amateur Radio Klub President Bret Kuhns, WØVK, photo] |
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Skills acquired in amateur radio are often transferable to other pursuits, especially those involving radio. One example is Glenn Pollock, WAØFMY, of Omaha, Nebraska, who has used the knowledge he gained as a VHF weak-signal enthusiast to lead teams of volunteers in designing and building 18 (so far) tracking stations for radio-tagged monarch butterflies and other small creatures.
The transmitters for monarchs are solar-powered, weigh about the same as a grain of rice, and allow researchers — and the general public — to track individual butterflies as they make their annual migration to overwinter in Mexico. The data they transmit are relayed via Bluetooth to a central database maintained by Project Monarch, which displays locations and tracks on a free app.
Project Monarch collaborates with Motus, a project of Birds Canada which uses larger receive sites to track migrating birds, bats, and insects, and these are the sites that Pollock has been building in Iowa and Nebraska. The sites are built around an internet-connected computer and software-defined receiver (SDR) installed in a weatherproof enclosure below at least 8 VHF/UHF Yagi antennas, each pointed in a different direction. These sites cost several thousand dollars each to build and install, but Pollock says all of his projects have been funded by government agencies, non-profits, and individual contributions, plus “lots of free labor and equipment from hams.” He also gets help from biology students and others working in environmental fields.
Pollock says his VHF weak-signal knowledge has helped with antenna selection, spacing, and impedance matching. “I feel this is how amateur radio operators contribute to science,” he says. “Installing Motus receivers shows how hams do not just hide in a basement trying to make contacts but are involved in the community.” |
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| | Motus station installation team with one of their recent projects. From left, John Wolken, KVØMAS; Ray Turkle; Glenn Pollock, WAØFMY, and Dudley Allen, KDØNMD. [Photo by Dudley Allen, KDØNMD] |
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Artificial intelligence, or A.I., has been in the news quite a bit lately, but have you thought about ways in which it might be put to use in your ham station? Steve Walz, KØUO, has. Walz has helped integrate A.I. and machine learning into the US military and now has set his sights on the ways in which it can help ham radio contesting and DXing. An ARRL Life Member, Technical Specialist and Volunteer Consulting Engineer, Walz foresees many uses of this technology in the ham shack, including A.I.-driven antenna tuning and beam steering; enhanced propagation prediction models; “smart antennas,” remote station control, contest planning, and more.
Walz told ARRL that several European hams are already experimenting with A.I. on-air, including real-time voice recognition to interpret an incoming signal, generate appropriate responses in a contest setting, and generate a voice message in reply; and “Robo-QSOs” in which entire contacts are conducted and logged by an AI system. He added that he is experimenting at his station with a voice skimmer, which identifies call signs in a voice signal just like a CW skimmer does with a Morse code signal. He says he used it in a recent contest “just for checking,” and that “it’s getting smarter.”
Steve has a blog titled “AI for Ham Radio: Contest, DX, Station Design & Automation” (you’ll need to scroll down a bit to get to it), which goes into considerable detail on the emerging possibilities. As he notes, “Things are changing overnight.” |
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| | KØUO using real time data with A.I. integration for analyzing DX Cluster, lightning protection systems, station control, real-time band management for antennas and radios, along with other data. [Photo courtesy of Steve Walz, KØUO] |
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Rural communities in Spain are suffering from shrinking populations, and organized efforts to reverse this trend include a special event station from PRESURA 2026, the 10th National Fair for the Repopulation of Rural Spain, being held from November 6-8 in Burgos, about a 3-hour drive north of Madrid. Radio amateurs will be operating EG1PR, “Radio por la Repoblación” or “Radio for Rural Repopulation”, from the fair. The activity is sponsored by the Burgos branch of URE, Spain’s national amateur radio organization, and aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing rural communities through on-air contacts with radio amateurs around the world.
“PRESURA aims to be a meeting point between urban and rural Spain. EG1PR will create another meeting point — this time through the airwaves,” says event organizer Luis Óscar Carnicero González, EA1IIF, who adds, “Every contact will once again demonstrate one of amateur radio's oldest qualities: its ability to connect people regardless of distance, borders or the size of the place from which the signal originates. For territories that have experienced geographical isolation and population loss for decades, that ability has a special meaning.”
The EG1PR operation includes an award program. Rules (in Spanish) are https://www.ureburgos.es/bases-eg1pr-2026/ and https://www.ure.es/diploma-presura-2026-eg1pr-radio-por-la-repoblacion/. |
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ARRL New England Division Vice Director Phil Temples, K9HI, resigned from the ARRL Board of Directors effective November 1, 2026.
Temples was appointed Vice Director in 2020 and elected to another term in 2024. He previously served three terms as Eastern Massachusetts Section Manager and held several other ARRL Field Organization appointments, including Assistant Section Manager, Assistant Division Director, Affiliated Club Coordinator, and Public Information Officer.
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has appointed Bruce Blain, K1BG, of Harvard, Massachusetts, as the new Vice Director. Blain will serve the remainder of the term, which expires December 31, 2027.
Blain has served as an Assistant Section Manager and Affiliated Club Coordinator for the Eastern Massachusetts Section. He holds several roles with the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club, which serves north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, and is a committee member for Northeast HamXposition™, the annual host of the ARRL New England Division Convention held in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He is also the New England Ambassador for CWops, and an advisor for its CW Academy program. |
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| | Amateur Radio in the News |
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| | ARRL Live Events and Podcasts |
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| On the Air LIVE  Learning CW — From Zero to Your First QSO
Interested in learning Morse code but not sure where to start? Join ARRL Director of Education and Learning Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, for the November edition of On the Air Live as we explore practical ways to learn CW and put your new skills to work on the air. Wayne will discuss proven learning methods, free training resources, common mistakes to avoid, and how to build an effective practice routine. Whether you're completely new to CW or have tried learning before, this episode will help you take the next step toward your first CW contact. The livestream will air on Tuesday, November 24th at 8 PM Eastern at the ARRL Learning Center, learn.arrl.org.
📅 Date: November 24, 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
Get Ready for Contest Season ARRL Director of Education and Learning and host of On the Air LIVE, Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to talk about what goes into an on-air contest, and what you, as a new ham, can get out of participating in one. More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts. |
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| | 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 www.arrl.org/america250-was. Review your award progress and order your certificate and endorsements at america250.arrl.org.
11/4/2026 Arizona W1AW/7 (host W7RAP) 11/4/2026 Virginia W1AW/4 (host WA8AHZ) 11/4/2026 Oklahoma W1AW/5 (host N5HZR) 11/11/2026 Kansas W1AW/Ø (host KSØJD) 11/11/2026 Wyoming W1AW/7 (host WY7AA) 11/11/2026 Maryland W1AW/3 (host K2EJ) 11/18/2026 Mississippi W1AW/5 (host W5UE) 11/18/2026 Washington W1AW/7 (host W7MKE) 11/25/2026 No activations |
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The World Radio-TV Handbook will be published only as a web app, beginning with the 2027 edition. The go-to source for shortwave listeners has been published in book form for the past 80 years, but the publisher announced in late October that the 2026 edition would be the final one in print. The web app will include a “Now on air” feature, enhanced search capabilities, links, and updates throughout the year. |
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The November issue of The NTS Letter has been sent to subscribers. Highlights include a look at updates to the National Traffic System pages on the ARRL website, a review of the new “certified” radiogram precedence, and a look at NTS training on new digital voice nets. Published monthly, The NTS Letter is available for free to ARRL members interested in amateur radio message handling. You can sign up on the opt-in page of your member profile. |
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Forty Scouts from the Cincinnati area took part in October’s Jamboree on the Air from WC8VOA at the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester, Ohio. Held every third full weekend of October since 1958, Jamboree on the Air connects more than a million Scouts in over 150 countries using amateur radio, according to the Dan Beard Council Radio Scouting Committee. Scouts swap greetings, compare notes on camping and school, and make friends on other continents without having to travel. WC8VOA is operated by the West Chester Amateur Radio Club, an ARRL Affiliated Club. |
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The FCC has cited an amateur in California for unauthorized transmissions on GMRS frequencies and a CB radio operator in Georgia for using excessive power. Jerry Seehaas, KG6UMF, of Oceanside, California, who is also trustee for club station KG6OPA, was issued a Notice of Unauthorized Operation and a Notification of Harmful Interference for allegedly transmitting “an approximately 6 second siren” on the inputs of two General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) repeaters in southern California. According to the FCC, Seehaas does not currently have a GMRS license and was cited for allegedly operating on GMRS frequencies without a license and causing harmful interference. In the Georgia case, CBer Roy Grant of Marietta was cited for allegedly making one-way transmissions on CB channel 6 (27.025 MHz) at a power level of 280 watts. He was warned that operating with excessive power could void his authorization to operate on CB and could subject him to further penalties. Both individuals were given 10 days to respond to the allegations. |
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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:
Technical Editor RFI Lab Engineer Public Relations and Outreach Manager
Membership Marketing Analyst
Instructional Specialist
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 activity is expected to be low in the coming days, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), with a chance for M-class flares and a slight chance for stronger X-class flares associated with sunspot region 4566, which is showing rapid growth in both size and magnetic complexity. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been observed. Sunspot numbers are increasing from a low of zero last week. Region 4564 continues to decay, while 4565 remains stable.
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre predicts normal HF propagation conditions for the middle latitudes, with generally quiet conditions on the sun.
The W3LPL Propagation Forecast from the Daily DX is predicting some good north-south propagation on 10 and 12 meters, while east-west openings remain poor due to low sunspot activity. Solar flux levels are predicted to be above 100 in the coming week, creating excellent F2 propagation on 17 and 15 meters from early morning to late evening. Twenty meters should also be excellent, with good DX conditions lasting well into the night. Nighttime propagation on the lower HF bands should be excellent as well, with openings beginning in the afternoon on 30 meters, about an hour before sunset on 40, and shortly after sunset on 80 meters.
Predicted 10.7-centimeter solar flux is considerably higher than last week, leading to hopes of somewhat improved propagation on the upper HF bands: Nov 5, 105; Nov 6, 110; Nov 7-8, 115; Nov 9, 120; Nov 10, 115; Nov 11-12, 110. (Source: NOAA SWPC)
Share your reports and observations. Send your tips, questions, or comments to w2vu@arrl.org. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...," and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA. A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website. |
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Solar image on November 5, 2026 [Photo courtesy NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center] |
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| | | | Just Ahead in Radiosport |
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| November 5 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity, NA (digital) November 5 -- NRAU 10m Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital) November 5 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW) November 5 - 6 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW) November 7 -- IPARC Contest, CW (CW) November 7 - 8 -- YBDXPI FT8 Contest (digital) November 7 - 9 -- ARRL November Sweepstakes, CW (CW) November 8 -- IPARC Contest, SSB (phone) November 8 -- FIRAC HF Contest (phone) November 9 -- Four States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone) November 10 -- DARC FT4 Contest (digital) November 11 -- RSGB 80m Autumn Series, SSB (phone) November 12 -- VHF/UHF FT8 Activity Contest (digital) November 14 - 15 -- WAE DX Contest, RTTY (digital) November 14 - 15 -- 10-10 International Fall Contest (digital) November 14 - 15 -- JIDX Phone Contest (phone) November 14 - 15 -- OK/OM DX Contest (CW) November 14 - 15 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW) November 14 - 16 -- PODXS 070 Club Triple Play Low Band Sprint (digital) November 14 - 16 -- CQ-WE Contest (CW, phone, digital) November 14 - 23 -- AWA Bruce Kelly 1929 QSO Party (CW) November 15 -- Homebrew and Oldtime Equipment Party (CW) November 15 - 16 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW) November 15 - 18 -- Classic Exchange, Phone (phone) November 16 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
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| | | ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions (next 60 days) Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database at www.arrl.org/hamfests to find events in your area. November 7 | Superstition ARC Superfest, hosting the ARRL Arizona State Convention, Mesa, Arizona November 14 | Montgomery Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama
December 11 – 12 | Tampa Bay Hamfest, hosting the ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida |
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Join ARRL at these Division Conventions and other major events throughout the upcoming year, 2027.
February 12 – 14 | Orlando HamCation, hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida
April 3 | RARSfest, The Raleigh Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina
April 17 | Ham Radio University, hosting the ARRL Hudson Division Convention, Brookville, New York
May 21 – 23 | Dayton Hamvention, Xenia, Ohio
August 14 | Cincinnati Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention, Owensville, Ohio |
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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.
On the Air. Published bimonthly for newer hams, featuring introductions to popular activities and key concepts, equipment buying guides, and practical projects with step-by-step instructions — all in language that’s easy to understand.
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 NTS® Letter (monthly news about the ARRL National Traffic System message-relay network), the ARRL Contest Update (biweekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts, and much more!
Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Threads, X, and Instagram. |
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| | | The ARRL Letter is published on 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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