| Ham Radio During Hurricane Season by Sierra Harrop, W5DX |
Stations do not need to be in a coastal zone to participate. Propagation often shifts well inland, meaning ham radio operators throughout the continent can serve in times of need. “Monitoring and relaying traffic is a way to help with the nets and get real time information to the NHC, where it can be shared with the National Weather Service, FEMA, and other emergency response organizations to aid in a more rapid response and recovery,” said ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. Amateur radio plays a critical role in the warning and recovery process of hurricanes. From providing surface observations which give forecasters at the National Hurricane Center ground truth, to providing communications when infrastructure is damaged, ham radio is as vital as ever. |
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The Nets There is a robust ecosystem of communications networks that all work in tandem to provide coverage anytime a named storm is within a few hundred miles of land. These separate, but partner, volunteer organizations serve much of the Western Hemisphere on many different bands and modes. Much of the focus is to get information to and from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Hurricane specialists rely on having an amateur radio station at the center, WX4NHC. Julio Ripoll, WD4R, is the Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator for the station. “These surface reports can be weather data or eyewitness reports (or heard on local VHF/UHF) and are very valuable to the hurricane specialists at NHC, as they fill in gaps of data that they may not have from other means, such as government weather stations, satellites, Hurricane Hunter aircraft, etc.,” explained Ripoll. The NHC would like more hams to provide information if they are in an affected area. There are many ways to do it. The simplest is over high frequency (HF) amateur radio bands. There, you’ll find a dedicated team running the Hurricane Watch Net. The net, which uses 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, is usually active any time a hurricane is within 300 statute miles of a populated landmass, or at the request of NHC. “We are strategically dispersed across North America, throughout the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and the northern coast of South America, so that we can provide a continuous path of communications from storm-affected areas,” said Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Hurricane Watch Net Manager. The net has members who speak many of the languages in the hurricane zones, including English and Spanish. |
Information to and From The HWN is a two-way street of information, while the reports coming in are critical to forecasters – information from the NHC is even more important to people in the path of the storm. Weather information is relayed in real time from the NHC throughout the network, as well. In addition to the weather information and reporting, the HWN assists the Salvation Army’s SATERN Net with outgoing health and welfare traffic from the affected areas – messages sent via ham radio from those being impacted by the storm. WX4NHC also receives reports via Winlink email over amateur radio via the address wx4nhc@winlink.org. The email subject line must start with //WL2K. There is a webform on the WX4NHC web site to provide information as well. Voice over Internet Protocol and Digital Voice Modes For those without HF capabilities, or who may have their antennas unavailable during the storms, the VoIP Hurricane Net provides a parallel capability using modern digital technologies. VoIP Hurricane Net manager Rob Macedo, KD1CY, says the scope of this net gives a big picture look at what’s happening. “Our net gathers reports from amateur radio nets and amateur radio operators at the local, state and regional level that connect directly or liaison to our net on *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 reflector. The connections to our net can include other VoIP modes such as Fusion, All-Star, Hamshack Hotline, certain types of DMR among other VoIP modes via the KC5FM, AUXCOMM and Sunflower systems,” he said. The VoIP Hurricane Net also provides observations from social media monitoring. More Participation Needed With the robust systems in place to handle traffic, organizers encourage radio amateurs in the path of these storms to participate in the nets. “We encourage all who are in the path of a landfalling hurricane to join us and share your local observed weather information. No matter how insignificant you may feel your data may be, it is very important to the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center,” said Graves. “Sometimes, ham radio reports are the only reports received from the islands or sparely populated areas,” said Ripoll. Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center, added, “The NHC ham radio network has played a crucial role for more than 40 years in providing real-time information during tropical storms and hurricanes. The information provided by ham radio is incredibly helpful to NHC's hurricane specialists as it provides on-the-ground data during an event and offers a valuable option to maintain communications in situations where traditional communication methods can fail or become unavailable.” |
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ARRL Board Completes 2024 Second Meeting, Approves Report to Advance a 3-Year Strategy |
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, gaveled in the 2024 Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors on Friday, July 19, in Windsor, Connecticut. The Board meeting was preceded by standing committee meetings held on Thursday, including Administration & Finance chaired by Rocky Mountain Division Director Jeff Ryan, K0RM; Emergency Communications and Field Services chaired by Great Lakes Division Director Scott Yonally, N8SY, and Programs & Services chaired by Dakota Division Director Bill Lippert, AC0W. President Roderick recognized new Officers and Board members including First Vice President Kristen McIntyre, K6WX (January 2024), Second Vice President Mike Ritz, W7VO (January 2024), Hudson Division Director Ed Wilson, N2XDD (July 2024), Northwestern Division Director Mark Tharp, KB7HDX (January 2024), Northwestern Division Vice Director Michael Sterba, KG7HQ (February 2024; not present due to flight cancellations), Pacific Division Director Tony Marcin, W7XM (January 2024), and Pacific Division Vice Director John Litz, NZ6Q (April 2024). |
 | | ARRL Board of Directors met in Windsor, Connecticut, for their 2024 Second Meeting on Friday, July 19. |
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 | | Ed Wilson, N2XDD, who had been serving as Vice Director of the ARRL Hudson Division since June 2023, acceded to the Director’s chair earlier this month. |
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Here are highlights of some of the actions taken at the meeting: Strategy The Board unanimously accepted a report establishing a 3-year strategy for ARRL, and recognized the efforts of the Strategy Working Group. They authorized CEO David A. Minster, NA2AA, to proceed with further planning. The report included a revised mission statement: ARRL’s mission is to promote and protect the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio, and to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. The strategy articulates continued commitment and enhancements to our existing advocacies: |
- Promoting Amateur Radio
- Protecting Amateur Radio
A new advocacy is being created, committing ARRL to develop the next generation of radio amateurs through the expansion of existing programs and the creation of curriculum-based initiatives targeted at middle and high school STEM education programs: |
- Inspiring and Educating Youth
The strategy calls for investments in Information Technology to continue along the path of ARRL’s Digital Transformation. This will include evaluating membership models, content delivery methods, and next generation software products along with the infrastructure improvements required to support them: - Serving Members and Driving Growth Through Technology
In committing to dramatically expanding our capabilities and activities in the STEM education space and investing in upgrades and additions to our Information Technology platform, we recognize that revenue from membership dues is insufficient to fund these initiatives. In fact, dues contribute less than half the revenue required to operate ARRL. Efforts are required to develop new sources of revenue and seek support from donors and grants from both public and private organizations: |
- Expanding Our Means and Financial Capability
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.JPEG?cb=810535) | | John Litz, NZ6Q, accepted an appointment to the ARRL Board as Vice Director of the Pacific Division in April. |
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The Board requested the President establish the ARRL Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC), acknowledging the importance of providing information technology-based services to ARRL members, and to improve and protect ARRL systems. The ITAC will engage experts in the field of IT to help oversee the development, operations, and evolution of the ARRL IT system infrastructure and applications. The Board reassigned the Logbook of The World® (LoTW®) Maintenance Committee to the newly established Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC). ITAC will support the Maintenance Committee’s responsibilities with LoTW® development, including technical changes and future upgrades to the system. |
 | | During the meeting, Roanoke Division Vice Director Bill Morine, N2COP (left), was recognized by President Rick Roderick, K5UR, for his generous lifetime giving to ARRL, making him a new member of the ARRL Maxim Society. |
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Advocacy The Board recommended and authorized the creation of additional publications, including books and online resources, and products, such as antenna kits, to help expand ARRL's commitment to help hams who are faced with limits on station building capabilities due to space limitations and/or limited resources. Governance The Board requested that the President appoint a study group to review the current structure of ARRL governance and the Field Organization and suggest changes that would improve the organization and better support the membership. The Board requested that the President establish an ad hoc committee to review the ARRL Director’s Workbook and establish an annual review process to keep the document up to date with Board practice and procedure. The Board approved expanding the policy for recording roll call votes to being required for any pending motions pertaining to ARRL governance documents. Trademarks Following recent review of ARRL’s trademarks and the completion of related registrations and trademark renewals, the Board requested the CEO to provide a report at its next meeting consisting of efforts and actions taken during 2024 to identify, remedy, and protect the use of its trademarks by other parties. The complete minutes of the 2024 Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors will be available soon on the ARRL website. The next meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors will be January 17 - 18, 2025. |
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ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director Jeff Beals, WA4AW, Silent Key |
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The Vice Director of the ARRL Southeastern Division, Jeffrey J. “Jeff” Beals, WA4AW, has become a Silent Key. He died on July 20, 2024. Beals devoted a lifetime of service to amateur radio, having served in many local clubs, the ARRL Field Organization, and on the ARRL Board of Directors. He was also elected Vice President of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) in 2023. ARRL Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB, recalls that Beals’ passion for service involved getting others active in service as well. “Jeff was a connector – his ‘superpower’ was finding volunteers and organizing events so that others would see the value of their service. ‘We’ll see you next time!’ And you knew he would call. He ‘volunteered’ many of us to charitable runs and bike rides, the South Florida Fair and many other events that promoted amateur radio, and hamfests. He volunteered entire clubs then challenged us to show,” wrote Baker of his long-time friend. Read much more about Beals’ lifetime of service to amateur radio on ARRL News. |
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Ted Rappaport, N9NB, Inducted into IEEE VTS Hall of Fame |
Professor Theodore “Ted” S. Rappaport, Ph.D., N9NB, has been elected to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Vehicular Technology Society’s (VTS) Hall of Fame. The IEEE VTS Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose truly outstanding leadership and contributions have had a significant impact on the technologies represented by the fields of interest of the IEEE VTS. The VTS is one of the oldest societies in IEEE. Dr. Rappaport is a tenured professor at the New York University (NYU) Electrical Engineering in the Tandon School of Engineering, Courant School of Mathematics, and the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He has co-authored over 300 papers and 20 books, including the most-cited books on wireless communications, adaptive antennas, wireless simulation, and millimeter-wave communications, which have been translated into eight languages. |
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Dr. Rappaport was first licensed in 1975 and joined ARRL that same year. He now holds an Amateur Extra class license. He has been an ARRL Life Member since 1983 and received an ARRL scholarship to help complete his doctorate at Purdue University. “Amateur radio has been more influential in my life than I could have imagined,” said Rappaport. “At age 14, I was able to teach adults about amateur radio and electronics principles, to help them become licensed operators. I believe that led to my career in academia and teaching." Dr. Rappaport said that amateur radio literally saved his life when he was younger. “While in the hospital with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a form of blood cancer, I asked for more time. I’m still on the air today and a blessed individual,” added Rappaport. The IEEE asked Dr. Rappaport to write the history of amateur radio, and he agreed on the condition it would be available to amateur radio operators and the public at no charge. The Crucible of Communications, Part 1 and Part 2, are complete and can be read online. He is currently working on Part 3 and hopes have it completed in the near future. Induction ceremonies to the VTS Hall of Fame for Dr. Rappaport will be in Washington, DC, on October 9, 2024. |
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Amateur Radio in the News |
“Ham Radio Operators Send Message Of Hope During Yard Sale Special Event” / The Village Reporter (Ohio) June 17, 2024 --The Williams County Amateur Radio Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club. “The Outsider | Ham radio wizards blend new, old technology to bolster communications in crises” / The Colorado Sun (Colorado) July 11, 2024 -- Rocky Mountain Ham Radio is an ARRL Affiliated Club. |
On the Air Sponsored by Icom New Emergency Communication Courses from ARRL ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, joins the podcast to share details about ARRL's updated Emergency Communication courses, which have been broken into three successive levels — Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The courses are available free of charge at the ARRL Learning Center. |
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. The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are available on blubrry, iTunes, and Apple Podcasts. On the Air | ARRL Audio News |
 | | Lem Skidmore, W1LEM, and Rob Leiden, K1UI, demonstrate HF operation to ASLP students. [Photo courtesy of Chris Ranney, WA1CMR] |
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Members of the combined Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) and Barnstable Amateur Radio Club (BARC) gave an introduction to amateur radio presentation as part of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy's Advanced Studies and Leadership Program (ASLP) camp. The presentation was held in the academy’s new conference center with approximately 180 students in attendance. Held in mid-July, the ASLP is a 2-week summer, college-like residential experience developed by the Cape Cod Collaborative with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Emphasis is placed on leadership and development; project-oriented instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas; as well as the humanities, for high-achieving students from the 19 Cape Cod Collaborative member school districts. Students attended presentations including an overview of the many facets of amateur radio, its role in emergency communications in events such as hurricanes, and an overview of amateur radio satellite communication, focusing on cube satellites (CubeSats), several of which had been built by students. In addition, two Get On The Air (GOTA) stations were set up. Students were allowed to make radio contacts with licensed amateurs watching and listening. The VHF GOTA station contacted several FARA members on the local N1YHS repeater. The HF GOTA station made several contacts, including amateur radio stations in Bulgaria, Italy, and Nova Scotia. Organizers reported students in the ASLP camp were attentive and asked good questions. BARC members included Bruce Semple, WA3SWJ; Norm Cantin, WA1NLG; Rob Leiden, K1UI, and Lem Skidmore, W1LEM. FARA members participating were Chris Ranney, WA1CMR, and Ralph Swenson, N1YHS. |
The deadline to submit entries for 2024 ARRL Field Day was July 23. Over 4,000 entries have been received. There is still time to check and correct entries by visiting the ARRL Field Day portal. Entries shown as complete in the status column have all of the necessary documentation required. However, entries with a status of “Pending Documents” need to be reviewed and any missing or incomplete information should be added. Corrections may be made until August 23. For more Field Day information/questions, contact fdinfo@arrl.org via email or phone (860) 594-0232. |
The Elkhart East Hamfest and the 2024 ARRL Central Division Convention will be held on August 3 at the Northern Indiana Event Center Pavilion located near Exit 96 (Elkhart East exit) of the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) on County Road 17. There will be over 22,000 square feet of indoor market space for amateur radio, hobby electronics, computer equipment, and 125 tables of retail, wholesale, and consumer vendors. Indoor tables are $15 each. Also, a large outdoor market area with up to 60 (34' x 67') designated areas. The outdoor area provides enough space to park your vehicle, a trailer, and still have plenty of room to sell. Special event station W1AW/9 will be on the air operating on 20 and 40 meters SSB, CW, and FT8. A new list of corrected operating frequencies can be found at Elkhart East Hamfest - Official Site. |
 | | This image was taken on July 25, 2024. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] |
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For this Friday’s ARRL Propagation Bulletin, ARLP030: Solar activity was a bit lower this week. Seven new sunspot groups appeared. The only day with no new sunspot groups was Sunday, July 21. The next day, two new sunspot groups arose, and all other days each had one new group. The average daily sunspot number was 208.1, down from 215.9, while average daily solar flux declined from 226 to 193. Geomagnetic numbers remained quiet, with average planetary A index unchanged at 6, and middle latitude numbers changing from 8 to 7.3. The outlook for the next few weeks has solar flux reaching a short-term maximum of 230 on August 12 - 14. Predicted solar flux is 175 on July 25 - 27; 170 on July 28 - 29; 175 on July 30 - 31; 165 on August 1 - 2; then 170, 180 and 190 on August 3 - 5; 200 on August 6 - 11; 230 on August 12 - 14; 210 on August 15, and 200 on August 16 - 18. Predicted planetary A index is 10 on July 25 - 26, then 18 and 8 on July 27 - 28, 5 on July 29 through August 14, 8 on August 15 - 16, and 5 on August 17 through the first week in September. Sunspot numbers for July 18 through 24, 2024, were 276, 269, 212, 200, 173, 167, and 160, with a mean of 208.1. The 10.7 -centimeter flux was 208.7, 201.6, 207.4, 197.9, 185, 175.5, and 174.8, with a mean of 193. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 5, 7, 5, 9, 5, and 6, with a mean of 6. Middle latitude A index was 4, 5, 8, 9, 9, 8, and 8, with a mean of 7.3 Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net. A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. 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. Share your reports and observations. A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News. |
- July 27 - 28 -- MARAC US Counties QSO Party (CW, phone)
- July 27 - 28 -- ARAM 50 MHz Contest (CW, phone)
- July 27 - 28 -- RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone)
- July 27 - 28 -- Alabama QSO Party (CW, phone)
- July 28 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)
- July 30 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest (phone)
Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar for more events and information. |
Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
- July 27 | ARRL West Virginia State Convention, Sutton, West Virginia
- August 3 | Kootenai Amateur Radio Society, sponsoring the ARRL Idaho State Convention, Post Falls, Idaho
- August 3 | Elkhart East Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Central Division Convention, Elkhart, Indiana
- August 4 | SVARC Berryville Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Virginia State Convention, Berryville, Virginia
- August 17 - 18 | Huntsville Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, Alabama
- August 22 - 25 | Northeast HamXposition, sponsoring the ARRL New England Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts
- August 30 - September 1 | Shelby Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL North Carolina State Convention, Shelby, North Carolina
- August 31 | Summer Symposium, sponsoring the ARRL Santa Barbara Section Convention, Camarillo, California
- September 8 | ARRL Southern New Jersey Section Convention, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
- September 21 - 22 | Midwest Superfest, sponsoring the ARRL Illinois Section Convention, Chillicothe, Illinois
- September 28 | Red River Radio Amateurs Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota
Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database to find events in your area. |
Have News for ARRL? Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to news@arrl.org. -- John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor |
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The ARRL Letter is published 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 © 2024 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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