The ARRL Letter for July 23, 2026 undefined

 

 

 

The ARRL Letter

 

, Editor | July 23, 2026

 

In this Issue:

 

Register now for the 2026 ARRL National Convention hosted by the Huntsville Hamfest, August 21 - 23.

 

NEW: Agendas for ARRL Training Tracks are (PDF).

 

Step 1

Register for the National Convention Program on Friday, August 21.

 

Step 2

Get your Huntsville Hamfest tickets for Saturday & Sunday, August 22 – 23.

 

AHOY! Amateur Radio at the Locks

Command tent at Soo Special Station, W8S.

Soo Locks Engineers Day was held on June 25, 2026, at the locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and amateur radio was woven into it.

 

The event is the annual celebration of engineering marvels, maritime heritage, and community spirit at one of the world’s busiest lock systems. Michigan’s amateur radio operators were on air with special event station W8S to showcase ham radio to visitors from across the region, but hams also played a public service role.

 

Led by Auxiliary Communicator (AUXC) and Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) volunteers from Chippewa, Luce, and Delta Counties, plus hams from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the team delivered strong communications support throughout the day. Three staffers from the National Weather Service Office in Gaylord, Michigan, attended and helped provide a great training opportunity while demonstrating how agencies can work together at these types of events.

 

Setup began early on June 25, with full operations running from an early-morning briefing through late-afternoon shutdown. Hams also managed radio distributions, MyMich Hospital trailer operations, Michigan State Police Command Vehicle rotations, reliable links using local repeaters, the county simplex frequency 146.54, a mix of VHF and HF, and even a mini Starlink deployment for backup connectivity.

 

Freighter enters a lock at Sault Ste. Marie [Photos courtesy of Bob Sterner, KBØBS].

Key highlights from the field included smooth setup and testing of radios, coordinated personnel movements between the special events tent, command vehicles, and hospital trailer, and strong participation from both experienced AUXC operators and eager newcomers.

 

The , an ARRL Affiliated Club, operated W8S and gave the public a firsthand look at amateur radio in action, connecting with hams worldwide while highlighting how the hobby supports community events and emergency preparedness.

 

“This annual tradition continues to build strong partnerships between local clubs, AUXC teams, and event organizers including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” said Bob Sterner, KBØBS, ARRL Chippewa County Emergency Coordinator.

 

Volunteers who were instrumental in making the event happen included: Cody Ames, KJ7SYX; Robert Donaldson, W8SSM; Dave Erickson, W9TRC; Kay Erickson, N8ØFF; Brent MacMillan, K8OTL/VE3ØTL; Tanya Procknow, W8TON; Lou Stempek, N8LØU; Bob Sterner, KBØBS; Roger VanDamme, KB8PLR; and many more from both sides of the border.

 

 

New ARRL 10-Band DXCC Award

The new ARRL 10-Band DXCC Award.

ARRL has introduced the new 10-Band DXCC Award plaque, recognizing radio amateurs who have achieved DXCC on all ten HF amateur bands from 160 through 6 meters.

 

The new award celebrates the accomplishment of having confirmed at least 100 DXCC entities on each of the following bands: 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters (excludes 60 meters). Eligibility is based on the total QSLs reflected in your ARRL Logbook of The World® () account. No additional contacts are required beyond those needed to qualify for DXCC on each individual band. If your DXCC credits are not already visible in LoTW, you must first link your DXCC and LoTW profiles by requesting a credit merge from the ARRL Awards Desk.

 

Applicants simply complete and submit a DXCC Item Order Form to order the 10-Band DXCC plaque after self-verifying the qualification requirements in LoTW. Complete details are available at .

 

The 10-Band DXCC Award challenges participants in the DXCC program to establish station capabilities and operator skills for dealing with myriad band conditions in pursuing DXCC across all 10 bands. "Completing DXCC on every HF band is an extraordinary achievement that reflects dedication, skill, and years of commitment to amateur radio," said ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Affairs Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ.

 

During last week’s ARRL Board of Directors meeting, Second Vice President Rick Niswander, K7GM, learned that he is among the few Board members who qualify for the new award. “I never set out to earn an award like this,” said Niswander. “I simply enjoy the challenge of working DX, no matter the band. Perseverance can result in an accomplishment that represents years of operating.”

 

Like the 5-Band DXCC plaque, the new 10-Band DXCC plaque comes as a handsome wooden frame with a ceramic, blue-embellished tile inlay. The plaque is USD $95 plus shipping and handling.

 

The new award complements ARRL's family of DXCC recognitions, which celebrate accomplishments by band, mode, and overall DXCC totals.

 

More information about eligibility and award ordering is available on the .

 

Last year, ARRL introduced the , recognizing operators who have confirmed 100 or more DXCC Award countries (entities) on all three operating modes—phone, CW, and digital. Like the new 10-Band DXCC Award, the Trident Award celebrates a significant operating milestone and offers another way for DXers to commemorate their accomplishments within the prestigious – DXCC.

 

 

DXer and DXpeditioner Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK, Silent Key

Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK, SK, at Dayton Hamvention® 2016. [Dave Patton, KW9A, photo]

Kiyoshi “Kan” Mizoguchi, JA1BK, a well-known DXer, DXpeditioner, CQ DX Hall of Fame member, and former Director of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3, passed away in May 2026 at the age of 93. He was a member of the ARRL Maxim Society at the Fellow Class.

 

First licensed in 1952, Mizoguchi became involved in the creation of IARU Region 3, which covers most of Asia and the Pacific, and served as a Director from 1968 to 1975.

 

His interest in DXing included both chasing and being the DX, and he is credited with identifying new entities and helping put them on the air for the first time. Some of those places include the Marquesas, the Australs, the Chesterfield Islands, Ducie Island, and Swain’s Island.

 

Mizoguchi built a competitive DXing station and achieved success as a DXer, reflected in his award achievements in the ARRL DX Century Club – DXCC. He reached 383 countries in the Mixed DXCC category, 382 on phone (within the top ten in the world), and 354 on CW. He was on the Top of the Honor Roll with all 340 current entities on Mixed, Phone, and CW. He is perhaps best known for his impressive total of 271 countries on the 6-meter band – 8th place in the world and 1st in Asia.

 

Kiyoshi “Kan” Mizoguchi, JA1BK, SK | 1932 – 2026 [Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]

Mizoguchi also reached 3,252 countries in the popular DXCC Challenge – 9th in the world. As he gained interest in the Challenge, Mizoguchi began chasing down missing confirmations from his old logs and learned that many other stations’ logs had been discarded or lost. He sought a way to try to save some logs, especially those from unique or rare operations, and, in 2014, funded the , operated by ARRL, which collects, catalogs, and digitizes such logs (, ARRL News, 8/24/2014).

 

Mizoguchi was a frequent presenter at DX conventions and was inducted into the CQ DX Hall of Fame in 1987. Bill Kennamer, K5FUV, who retired from the ARRL staff in 2000, wrote: "I first met Kan over 30 years ago, and we had a close friendship over many of those years. We operated several DXpeditions and attended several conventions together. He was behind many of the major DXpeditions over the years, giving strong financial support, and he was a strong financial supporter of ARRL. He gave all of us ‘new ones’ at various times over the years, and he will be missed."

 

Mizoguchi earned an engineering degree from Tokyo University in the early 1950s and started a company with the rights to import all semiconductor manufacturing machinery in Japan. He retired from that company at age 60 and gave the company to his employees. He then started a one-man engineering design firm called Kan Technosonics, which operated for several years. Mizoguchi is survived by his wife Reiko and daughter Keiko.

 

Thanks to Dave Patton, KW9A, for the information in this article.

 

 

 

Amateur Radio in the News

“” / Ark Valley Voice (Colorado) July 2, 2026 -- The Chaffee Lake Amateur Radio Association is an ARRL Affiliated Club

 

 

ARRL Live Events and Podcasts

On the Air LIVE

 

What is your family’s backup plan when phones, texts, or internet are not available? Join ARRL’s Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, for the next On the Air Live as we explore the P.A.C.E. plan—Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency—and how it can help families build a practical communications plan before a crisis happens. We’ll talk about where amateur radio fits, how to layer your options, and how to make the plan simple enough for the whole family to use. The livestream will air on the ARRL's learning center, , July 28th at 8 PM Eastern. Preregistration is required and can be accomplished through the Learning Center.

 

📅 Date: July 28th, 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

 

A Passion for POTA

 

Evan McPartland, KC2NRB, visits the podcast to talk about how he got hooked on Parks on the Air operating. Familiarly known as POTA, this popular program involves setting up temporary stations in parks that have a specific alphanumeric POTA designator. Evan expands on information shared in his July/August 2026 On the Air article “Rediscovering Ham Radio Through POTA,” and offers information on how to join the POTA fun. | | 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 .

 

07/22/2026 Rhode Island W1AW/1 (host N1SXB)

07/22/2026 South Carolina W1AW/4 (host KG9V)

07/29/2026 Minnesota W1AW/Ø (host AEØBC)

07/29/2026 Wyoming W1AW/7 (host WY7AA)

 

The Warbirds of America special event station, W9W, will be on the air through July 25, 2026. Volunteers are operating the special event station this week from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as part of the massive fly-in featuring airshows, exhibits, and workshops during the annual EAA AirVenture. Look for W9W on HF and VHF/UHF bands, typically during daylight hours from 8 AM to 5 PM CDT: 7.074 MHz (FT8), 14.250 MHz (voice/SSB), 14.045 MHz (CW), 21.235 MHz (voice/SSB), 28.425 MHz (voice/SSB), 146.550 MHz and 146.520 MHz (FM simplex), and D-STAR Reflector 19B. The EAA Warbirds of America display features one of the largest gatherings of historic military aircraft in the world. Thanks to Icom America Inc. Senior Sales Manager Ray Novak, N9JA, for this information.

 

W9W, the Warbirds of America special event station, will be on the air through July 25, 2026, from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Pictured at left is Ray Novak, N9JA. [Photo credits: Left photo by Matt Baumann, N9NMH; right photo by Lloyd Chang, KJ7JQU.]

 

 

In Brief...

The and the will host special event station W9E on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in honor of Amelia Earhart's birthday. Operating from Prophetstown State Park one day after the famed aviator’s birthday, operators will be on the air from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT on Saturday, July 25. They will be operating SSB and FT8 on the 20-, 15-, and 40-meter bands. Contact the club directly for QSL cards. Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897. In 1935, she joined the Purdue University faculty as a career counselor for women, and the Purdue Research Foundation later funded her famous Lockheed Electra 10E, known as the "Flying Laboratory." Earhart and her aircraft disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world.

 

The ARRL (TI) welcomed two groups of educators to ARRL Headquarters this week. Participants in the TI-1 Introduction to Wireless Technology session, instructed by ARRL Education Specialist Drew Mortensen, AC3DS, were introduced to electronic principles, radio frequency propagation, and antennas. They constructed basic electronic circuits and antennas, and participated in a hidden transmitter hunt. Those attending the pilot advanced elective, TI RF Wireless Security, were led by Education Specialist Wayne Green, KB4DSF. Teachers completing TI-1 are eligible to enroll in elective courses, such as TI Remote Sensors, TI Balloons and Amateur Radio, and TI Space Comms & Radio Astronomy. All expenses are .

 

Photo left:

ARRL Teachers Institute July 20 – 23 TI-1 Introduction to Wireless Technology cohort: (left to right) ARRL Education Specialist (instructor) Drew Mortensen, AC3DS, Erie, Pennsylvania; Kerrie Upenieks, Taylorsville, Utah; Jens Trauntvein, Logan, Utah; Loren Salvesen, Mendon, Utah; Paul Williams, Sleepy Hollow, New York; Tiffany Jones, Atlanta, Georgia; Daniel Bryant, Sandy, Utah; Nancy Bertrand, Maggie Valley, North Carolina; Brian Merrill, Las Vegas, Nevada; Melissa De Sole, Bronx, New York, and Kathleen Roberts, Mobile, Alabama. [Gregory Sulla, KC1YNI, photo]

 

Photo right:

ARRL Teachers Institute July 20 – 23 TI RF Wireless Security cohort: (left to right) Aaron Radford, AC0QM, Bismarck, Missouri; Megan Tucker, KQ4MAM, Lovettsville, Virginia; Scott Valenta, W9DU, Berkeley, Illinois; Jackie Blumer, KC9LEH, Sorento, Illinois; John Geimer, K4GEI, Sarasota, Florida; Rachel Jones, KO4HLC, Puyallup, Washington; Rob Lamb, KF0RCY, Saint Louis, Missouri; Jeremy Montgomery, KD9RUO, Montgomery, Illinois, and ARRL Education Specialist (instructor) Wayne Green, KB4DSF. [Gregory Sulla, KC1YNI, photo]

 

 

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:

 

Membership Manager

Technical Editor

RFI Lab Engineer

Public Relations and Outreach Manager

Education and Learning Manager

 

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

 

ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.

 

 

The ARRL Solar Report

Solar disk image courtesy of NASA/SDO, July 23, 2026

ARRL Solar Report July 23, 2026

Solar activity continued at moderate levels as Region 4493 produced an M3.6 flare on July 22, which was the largest event of the period and was associated with a 10.7-centimeter radio burst of 200 solar flux units (sfu). Additionally, 4493 produced a C3.4 flare on July 22, which was associated with another 10.7-cm radio burst of 150 sfu.

 

Region 4493 continued to undergo consolidation in its leading and trailing spots, but showed signs of new flux emergence in its intermediate area during the early hours of the reporting period. Region 4494 developed new, simple spots, but remained uni-polar. The remaining two numbered active regions were relatively stable and quiet.

 

A filament eruption NW of Region 4493 on July 21 was modeled and assessed to be at least partially Earth-directed. While modeling efforts suggest that a bulk of the material should pass north and ahead of Earth’s orbit, this is low confidence given the faintness of this event in Sun-Earth line-focused coronagraph imagery and compounded by likely interaction with the coronal hole in the vicinity of the source location.

 

Additional M-class flare activity (R1-R2 radio blackouts) is likely through July 25 primarily due to the flare potential currently exhibited by AR 4493.

 

Solar wind parameters were mildly enhanced under a sustained negative polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) regime and a possible secondary Co-rotating Interaction Region (CIR). Solar wind speeds were roughly between 400 and 482 km/s.

 

The current regime is expected to largely continue through July 25. Additional enhancements are possible beginning late on July 23 due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the sun on July 20, with stronger enhancements arriving by early on July 24 with the arrival of the aforementioned CME event from July 21.

 

The 10.7-centimeter flux: July 23 - 24, 130; July 25 - 26, 125; July 27, 120; July 28 – 29, 118; July 30, 115.

 

Predicted sunspot numbers: July 23, 100; July 24, 93; July 25, 106; July 26, 88; July 27, 110; July 28, 81; July 29, 115.

 

For more information concerning radio propagation, the ARRL Technical Information Service, read , and check out the .

 

For customizable propagation charts, visit the .

 

 

Just Ahead in Radiosport

  • July 23 -- RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data (digital)
  • July 25 - 26 -- RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone)
  • July 25 -- Alabama QSO Party (CW, phone)
  • July 26 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)
  • July 27 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)
  • August 1 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)
  • August 1 - 2 -- (CW)
  • August 1 - 2 -- (CW, phone, digital)
  • August 2 -- SARL HF Phone Contest (phone)
  • August 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)

 

Remember to visit the for more events and information.

 

 

Upcoming ARRL Conventions and Major Events

 

ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions (next 60 days)

Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database at to find events in your area.

 

July 25 | , Sioux Falls, South Dakota

 

July 25 | , Sutton, West Virginia

 

August 1 | , Augusta, Maine

 

August 7 – 8 | , hosting the ARRL Delta Division Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana

 

August 13 – 16 | , hosting the ARRL New England Division Convention, Marlborough, Massachusetts

 

August 15 | , hosting the ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention, Owensville, Ohio

 

August 21 – 23 | , hosting the , Huntsville, Alabama

 

August 28 – 30 | , hosting the ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Casper, Wyoming

 

September 4 – 5 | , hosting the ARRL North Carolina State Convention, Shelby, North Carolina

 

Save the Date

Join ARRL at these Division Conventions and other major events throughout the year. Beginning in the fourth quarter, this list will also include significant events scheduled for the following year.

 

October 9 – 10 | , hosting the ARRL Midwest Division Convention, Sedalia, Missouri

 

October 10 | , hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

 

October 16 – 18 | , hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California

 

 

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