The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff has clarified in response to an ARRL request that the new $35 application fee will not apply to most license modifications, including those to upgrade an amateur radio licensee’s operator class and changes to club station trustees. The FCC staff explained that the new fees will apply only to applications for a new license, renewal, rule waiver, or a new vanity call sign. As previously announced, the new fees take effect on April 19, 2022. Read More @ ARRL

Emergency comms in the Azores GB2RS News Team | March 25, 2022 The island of Sao Jorge in the Azores has suffered over 1,800 earthquakes in 48 hours. The regional government has prepared contingency plans to protect the island’s population. CT1END, the Emergency Communications Coordinator for Portugal, reports that a group of nine radio amateurs are working to support emergency communications locally and back to Portugal. Radio amateurs are asked to steer clear of 3.75 to 3.76MHz overnight, 7.1 to 7.11MHz during the day, and around 14.300MHz for those amateurs outside the region. All radio amateurs are encouraged to listen […]

As of 3.19 4pm, the Guthrie repeater is back online! There was a power failure to the switching supply. Dan took a spare with him just in case and it came in handy! Dan K5FVL

Many of the Advisory Notices sent out each month by the ARRL Volunteer Monitor Program go to stations heard operating outside the operators license privileges. Typical cases often involve operators holding Technician- or General-class amateur licenses being heard on a frequency or band not permitted by their license privileges. Most recent incidents have frequently entailed FT8 digital mode operation by Technician licensees on 20 and 40 meters. Technician licensees do not have any operating privileges on 20 meters, let alone digital privileges, and FT8 is a digital protocol. Technicians (and Novices) may operate CW between 21.025 and 21.200 MHz on […]

Make sure to check your email for an important Field Day Rules questionnaire that went out! Due to everyone’s favorite virus, COVID, the Field Day Rules were changed for 2020 and 2021. The question is whether those new rules should apply to 2022 Field Day or perhaps should be made permanent. To find out what our Members want, rather than what a committee in a Galaxy far far away might want, the ARRL’s Programs & Services Committee has created a survey for the purpose of finding out what YOU would like the Field Day Rules to be. Read More HERE […]

John Stratton N5AUS’ Presentation If you were unable to join the ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS at Saturday’s SCARS meeting, or you need to pick up something you missed, we have this presentation recorded for you to watch at your leisure at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNVO8SPDkV8&t=3s As a Division Director, John is our elected representative on the ARRL board of directors and serves on the ARRL Executive Committee and on the new Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (EC-FSC). He talked about the many changes that are happening at ARRL headquarters and what is coming down the road.