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Amateur Radio Licensing Update During US Government Shutdown

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ARRL logoFrom ARRL:

The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator, ARRL VEC, wants members to know that we are closely following the impact of the US Government shutdown on licensing for the Amateur Radio Service.

The government shutdown began at 12:01 Eastern time on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, when Congress had not passed an appropriations bill or other plan to keep the government funded for the new fiscal year (begins October 1).

The Federal Communications Commission, which issues Amateur Radio Service licenses, issued a Public Notice on Tuesday, September 30, indicating that it would suspend most operations following a shutdown. “Aside from a few emergency and auction filing systems, all other Commission electronic filing systems will be unavailable to the public until normal agency operations resume,” said the FCC Notice.

ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said the FCC systems appeared to go off-line around 1 PM Eastern time, and are redirecting to the Public Notice. This means the FCC will not be processing any amateur radio license applications during the shutdown, which includes individual, club, and exam session (new and upgrade) applications.

“But ARRL Volunteer Examiners should continue giving exam sessions,” said Somma. “Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep serving new and upgrade candidates for amateur radio licenses.” Somma also urged that Volunteer Examiners continue to promptly forward session results from their exams to the ARRL VEC.

“Please do not hold your session results. Send your sessions to us, and ARRL VEC will continue to queue all applications as they are received. Once the federal government reopens, ARRL VEC will promptly resume submitting applications to the FCC for processing. So, keep sending sessions to the ARRL VEC.”

The FCC Notice indicates that the CORES registration system will remain available to the public and will not be affected by the shutdown. Exam candidates can still register in CORES and be assigned an FCC Registration Number (FRN) at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do. The FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) databases are currently unavailable to the public. ULS and related systems (like the License Manager, License Search, Application Search, etc.) are not accessible during the shutdown. Users cannot file applications with the FCC, or access license data, including address information.

To find an amateur radio exam session, please visit www.arrl.org/find-an-exam. For a list of VE Teams that offer Online Exam Sessions, go to www.arrl.org/online-exam-session.

Pass The Bill

As a reminder, ARRL is continuing to collect letters from EVERY HAM as part of our grassroots campaign to pass the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act. The legislation is intended to prevent restrictive homeowners’ association (HOA) rules that currently prohibit or severely limit the installation of amateur radio antennas. Send your letters now at www.arrl.org/HOA.

Antenna Building Challenge

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The inspiration for this challenge is a QST Stray I saw about a year ago. A club in the Midwest challenged their club members to make a contact using an incandescent light bulb for an antenna. How about other items? Every time I go into a Home Depot I see many items which could be used to build an antenna: an extendable paint handle, rain gutters, metal flashing, paint cans . . .

The Eastern Mass ARRL section is sponsoring this challenge, and will expand it to the other New England states if there is interest. Let’s put on our tin hats and prowl the aisles of our local hardware store for antenna inspiration . . .

The schedule and timelines will be published soon on the Challenge website.

For questions and more details contact me at

AF1R@arrl.net

 

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Candlewood ARA W1QI Special Event Operation, September 27, 2025

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The Candlewood Amateur Radio Association will be operating from the Green behind the New Fairfield (CT) Town Hall in the center of town on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10 to 4:00 PM.
 
This will be a special event using W1QI for the New Fairfield Fair Day.
 
This will be our tenth year. Come join us and get on the air! You will enjoy this event and get to see the fair day celebration in town.  
 
 
 
 

On-line Technician Course, New England Sci-Tech, Beginning October 5, 2025

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New England Sci-Tech logoFrom New England Sci-Tech website:

This ONLINE ham radio class will get you ready to take the Ham Radio TECHNICIAN license exam, the FIRST of three certification levels. Geared toward adults, but suitable for junior high, high school, and home-school students. Yes, we give ham radio exams, too! You can take this course from anywhere by Zoom.* 

Future workshops: (links to sign up)

Four Sundays OCT 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm Eastern (Zoom only)
Four Sundays NOV 2, 9, 16, 23, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm Eastern (Zoom only)
(skipping 4 weeks in December for a General course – check it out!)

This is a FULL course taught live via Zoom by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a video or discussion group. You will learn much more than with other methods.

*If you are local and prefer an in-person course, check out our in-person Wireless Electronics Course.

Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Optional text: ARRL Technician Class License Manual, 5th edition, for exams through June 30, 2026, (purchase on ARRL website). Regular practice and study is necessary to get the best results from this course.

You should NOT purchase any radio equipment before you get your license. What to buy? Even before you are licensed, join a local radio club and ask your new hobby friends what they recommend.

Amateur radio (or “ham radio”) is used by people all over the world to communicate over radio waves. Some people use ham radio for emergency preparedness, to provide communications support for community events, to report on severe weather and natural disasters, as a social activity, and even occasionally to contact crew members on the International Space Station!

[Full announcement]

Send-A-Letter Campaign: Ask Your Representative and Senators to Co-sponsor and Support H.R. 1094 and S. 459

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ARRL logoYOU CAN HELP US CHANGE THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF AMERICAN HAMS

The ARRL is focused on reducing legal restraints on the ability of American Amateur Radio Operators to engage in the active practice and enjoyment of Amateur Radio.  One of the most insidious and increasing threats to the survival of Amateur Radio and our ability to serve our communities and Nation, as we are required to do by Federal regulation, is the proliferation of private land use restrictions that prohibit the installation of outdoor antennas and that sometimes actually deny Federally licensed Amateurs from operating any amateur radios, regardless of where their antennas are located — in their attics, hidden in trees, or mounted on their vehicles.

Federal law — since 1996 — has guaranteed to every American — except Amateur Radio Operators — the right to erect antennas outside or on their residences for the purpose of TV reception, satellite TV and internet access, wireless internet access and even wireless internet redistribution. But Amateur Radio operators are denied the equal right to erect comparable antennas.

Since 2005 Federal law has also guaranteed to every American the right to proudly display the American Flag by installing flagpoles in their yards. But, despite that right to install vertical poles in their yards — American Radio Amateurs are denied the right to use those vertical flagpoles as vertical antennas.

We believe the denial — to licensed Amateur Radio Operators — of the rights guaranteed to all non-Amateur Radio licensed American homeowners — the right to install antennas on the land they own — is without justification and should not be permitted to continue.

To eliminate these private land use restrictions, the ARRL has worked over the past several years with our elected officials to draft Congressional legislation — H.R. 1094 in the U.S. House of Representatives and S. 459 in the U.S. Senate — that when passed will extend to all Hams the right to operate from their homes and the right to install antennas on the land they own. We have bipartisan support for this legislation.

BUT, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION!

How can you help? By sending a letter to your Representative and Senators asking that they co-sponsor and support H.R. 1094 and S. 459.

How can you send these letters? It is easy.

Go to — https://send-a-letter.org/hoa/ — enter your call sign and click on “Send My Letters” and your letters will be delivered to our Washington legislative team for hand delivery to your Representative and Senators.

Does your individual letter matter? YES.

Your Representative and Senators need to know that the passage of this legislation is important to you.

Your letter could be the difference in whether we are able to pass H.R. 1094 and S. 459.  

Go to — https://send-a-letter.org/hoa/ — and help us by sending your letters to your Representative and Senators.

Chowdercon 2025, Four Tree Island, Portsmouth NH, September 19, 2025

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NEQRP logoCarl Achin, WA1ZCQ, writes on the NEQRP mailing list:

Most of you have this on your annual calendar of must attend events, but, just in case you don’t, Chowdercon 2025 is this coming weekend. Friday the 19th through Sunday the 21st.

What is Chowdercon? It’s a long running fun event that mostly takes place on Four Tree Island New Hampshire.

It’s a celebration of the end of Summer, beginning of Fall (always held on the 3rd Saturday/, the equinox weekend) in September.

There’s a 4:30 PM kick-off dinner banquet at Al’s Seafood in North Hampton, usually a breakfast gathering in Portsmouth around 7 AM and to Four Tree Island by 8 AM to grab a picnic table and set-up your Field-Op station.

Lunch is at Geno’s Sandwich Shop, and around 4 PM we breakdown and head to our farewell seafood supper banquet.

Diehards sometimes return on Sunday for more Island operations and a late lunch / early supper.

Anyone interested in the Friday 4:30 PM Seafood opening supper??? Please RSVP so I can arrange seating at Al’s Seafood.

More later. Hope to see YOU at Chowdercon 2025.

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Connecticut ARES Assists in Bridgeport Hospital Drill

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Screenshot of EmComm Drill St. Vincent Med Ctr Publicity CT ARESMark O’Grady, KC1UHV, writes on the Greater Bridgeport ARC mailing list:
 
[Connecticut Amateur Radio Emergency Service was mentioned favorably in this television news story.] 
 
From NEWS12 Connecticut: “From Dozens of nurses and doctors at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport spent Tuesday morning engaged in a hands-on emergency preparedness drill. The drill, which began just after 9:30 a.m., involved several scenarios designed to strengthen coordination among staff members and departments.” [Full story]
 

Ray LaJoie, AA1SE, Declared Elected as Western MA Section Manager

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ARRL logoFrom ARRL News, 09/12/2025: 

Below are the results of our recent Section Manager nomination period for the term beginning January 1, 2026, and declared elected, with no opposition:

New Section Managers:

Michigan – Ralph Katz, AA8RK
Santa Barbara – Keith Elliott, W6KME

Continuing:

Alabama – Dennis Littleton, K4DL
Alaska – David Stevens, KL7EB
Delaware – Steven Keller, KC3DSO
East Bay – Mike Patterson, N6JGA
Kansas – Ron Cowan, KBØDTI
New Mexico – Bill Mader, K8TE
Tennessee – David Thomas, KM4NYI
Western Massachusetts – Ray LaJoie, AA1SE

The ARRL Field Organization is the grassroots corps that makes up the 60,000 volunteers among ARRL membership. It is divided into 71 Sections, each of which is led by a volunteer Section Manager who is elected by the members of the Section. Section Managers serve two-year terms.