North Carolina ARRL News

April 11, 2026

Up here in the High Country, at the higher elevations, Spring is finally arriving.  Compared to what I saw down off the mountain when I was at RARSfest last Saturday, the mountains are about two weeks behind the Piedmont in the arrival of Spring. 

Once I drove down US 421 on Friday and got down into Wilkes County on the way to RARSfest, I saw green grass, flowers, and trees in full bloom.  By the time I got back home and drove around Boone on Sunday, I saw some people up here had mowed their lawns and the flowering trees down in Boone were in bloom. 

By contrast, up here at 3850 feet above sea level, the trees are taking on a yellow-brownish color which precedes the appearance of the green leaves.  After all, just this past Wednesday, my weather station recorded an overnight low of 28 degrees.

On the topic of RARSfest, congratulations go out to the team from RARS which put together RARSfest.  It was very successful, was well attended and we had a lot of visitors at the ARRL table where people interacted with ARRL Director Jim Boehner (N2ZZ) , ARRL  Vice Director Bill Morine  (N2COP), ARRL 2nd Vice President  Rick Niswander (K7GM), Section Youth Coordinator Dave Price (K4KDP) and myself, Section Manager Marv Hoffman (WA4NC)

Spring will get here in its full majesty in a few more days.  However, we all remain subject to statewide drought conditions.  Go to https://www.ncdrought.org .  Fire officials are very concerned about the potential for wildfires because of the massive amount of debris (broken limbs and fallen trees from Helene)) in our woodlands that provide significant fuel once a fire gets started.

April 1 marked the beginning of my seventh year of service as your Section Manager for the North Carolina Section.  This newest term will run through June 30 2028 when the nearly 4,000 ARRL members in North Carolina will have an opportunity to participate in an election to choose the Section Manager.

Thank you for the confidence you have placed in me and I hope to continue to have your trust and confidence throughout this fourth two year term.

ARRL has designated 2026 as the Year of the Club, both to celebrate the importance of clubs in ham radio and also undertake a special activity to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of our country.

North Carolina has been assigned two weeks during which the state is highlighted and approved stations to make contacts using the special callsign W1AW portable 4.  Paul Raiche (N1XI) has been designated as Coordinator for approving which stations use which bands, modes and when.  Paul reports that over 12,000 contacts were made this past week by NC Stations with stations during the first of our two weeks.  Thanks go out to the NC operators and those across the United States who are seeking the SPECIAL WORKED ALL STATES 250award that celebrates our 250^th anniversary and many successes of the ARRL.

A second week of operation by NC stations is planned for the week of the Shelby Hamfest which will be held in early September.   Contact Paul if you want to be approved to use the callsign W1AW/4.  Reach him at WAS250NC@GMAIL.COM.

Jim Boehner, Roanoke Director (N2ZZ) asked the four Section Managers in the Roanoke Division to advise their ARRL members about the potential for local clubs to work with their local school in making contact with the ARISS (Amateur Radio in the International Space Station) in the first half of 2027. 

May 22 is the deadline for applying to be selected.  Unfortunately this is a short notice regarding the potential for getting selected to engage school kids in an opportunity to talk over ham radio while  contacting an Astronaut on the International Space Station.

Schools in North Carolina have in the past four years been selected several times, including elementary schools in Spruce Pine and Burnsville as well as a Magnet School focusing on STEM activities in the Raleigh area. 

As Section Manager, my role is quite limited.  I pass along information to potentially interested clubs and work with news media to get the actual satellite contact covered by local news media and Charter Spectrum.  If you are interested, I think that the following questions need to be addressed:

a.        Is your local club interested and motivated to put in the effort to take the lead on this potential project?

b.        Is the local school system and a local school interested in committing to the work involved in making this happen?

c.        Is the May 22 deadline for applying insufficient to get the various stakeholders involved and in agreement?

d.        Is there a teacher with a science focus who would be willing to take this on and get their students interested in this opportunity?

 

This is a unique opportunity to partner with NASA and ARRL, as well as the local school in heightening student in interest in Outer Space.

Proposal information and necessary details are in https://ariss-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Current-US-Proposal-Form.docx. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held April 30 at 8 PM ET. A Zoom link to sign up is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3yid9dxzRkmYfVroIP0nWA.

The Opportunity

Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.

Each month Dave Roy (W4DNA) Section Traffic Manager) prepares a report on the activity in the various traffic nets that exist within NC.  Thanks go out to Dave, the various Net Managers, and the individual traffic handlers.  Set out below is a condensed version of Dave’s report, the complete version of which can be found at ncarrl.org.

W4DNA - NC Section Net Report - MARCH 2026
NET	NMGR	QNI	LISTED	PASSED	TIME	SESSIONS	TFC %
SECTION NETS
CN	AA4MP	411	133	129	665	62	96.99%
CSN	KI4KZS	NO	REPORT				#VALUE!
NCEN	WK4WC	404	83	81	383	31	97.59%
NCMN	W3OJO	161	134	130	517	31	97.01%
THEN	N3TLV	453	0	0	561	31	N/A
LOCAL TRAFFIC NETS
CWTN	KJ4JWC	402	77	80	523	31	103.90%
ENCTN	W4DNA	260	3	3	241	27	100.00%
PCTN	W4TTO	168	53	53	251	31	100.00%
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NETS
C-MNN	KI4FAQ	454	0	0	400	31	N/A
TOTAL		2713	483	476	3541	275	98.55%
NOTE: C-MNN = Metrolina (Charlotte-Mecklenburg) Nightly Net

 

The last full weekend each June has been designated as Field Day by the ARRL.  Historically, Field Day was an opportunity for clubs to set up temporary stations in public places, parks, fields and similar locales where there was no power or permanent antennas and practices setting up and operating under emergency conditions.  This type operation allowed operators to experience simulated emergencies in order to practice the skills that would be needed in a real emergency like a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, ice storm or some other catastrophe disrupting normal communications.

ARRL has a webpage (http://www.arrl.org/field-day) that discusses the purposes of Field Day and the ways in which Field Day operators may earn points making Field Day a contest in addition to an emergency communications practice session. 

Clubs planning to operate during Field Day are encouraged to post the location of their Field Day operation on a special webpage so that visitors can see what ham rado operators do in preparation for future emergencies.  Post you location at https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator . 

Dave Price (K4KDP) and I will be visiting as many sites as we can during the Field Day weekend which is June 27-28, 2026.  In order to make up our itineraries for Field Day travel, we need to know who and where will be operating.  Please go to the ARRL FIELD DAY LOCATOR as soon as possible.

Calling All AUXCOMM and EMCOMM Amateur Radio Personnel!  Join us on May 13, 2025, from 10 AM to 2 PM at the NCEM Eastern Branch Office. This is a great opportunity for amateur radio clubs and EMCOMM support personnel to get involved and enhance regional coordination.   This event will help us prepare for the 2025 Hurricane Season and the EHPC Communication Exercise (COMMEX) on June 17, 2025. Ensuring Eastern NC is ready takes all of us!

Who Can Attend? You must be affiliated with an amateur radio club or EMCOMM support group in the region.  AUXCOMM credentials are not required to participate.  Register Here: https://nc.readyop.com/fs/4fan/89ecdc58

Learn more about the EHPC COMMEX (June 17): https://subsplash.com/.../vqy58t5-2025-ehpc-hurricane-commex.

Let’s work together to strengthen emergency communications across Eastern NC!

Matt McMahon, WU2V

Effective March 20, 2026 the FCC granted callsign K4ITL to the Danny Hampton Memorial Club (Michael W Bezera - WB4TQD, trustee).   It has been more than two years since Danny suddenly passed away.  Danny, you made a huge impact on ham radio and you are very much missed.  It is more than appropriate that his callsign will continue to be heard on the airwaves. 

April 25, Forsyth Swapfest, Sponsored by the Forsyth Amateur Radio Club, Robinhood Road Baptist Church, 5422 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem.  Info at https://w4nc.com/hamfest/ .

May 2, Unfest, Sponsored by the Wayne County Amateur Radio Association, held at The First Church, 1100 The First Church Road, Goldsboro.  Info at https://k4cyp.com/events/ ,

July 11, Firecracker Hamfest, Sponsored by the Rowan Amateur Radio Society, held at the Salisbury Civic Center 315 S. Martin Luther King Ave Salisbury.  Info at https://www.rowanars.net/events/firecracker-hamfest-2026/

July 18, 53rd Annual Cary Mid-Summer Swapfest, Sponsored by the Cary Amateur Radio Club, held at Ritter Park, 301 W. Lochmere Drive. Cary. 

July 25, WSCARS Hamfest, Sponsored by the Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, held at the Smoky Mountain Event Center, 758 Crabtree Rd., Waynesville.  Info at https://wcars-club.org/hamfest-annual/docs/hfnotice.pdf .

August 8, CFARS SwapFest, Sponsored by the Cape Fear Amateur Radio Society, Cumberland County Shrine Club, 7040 Ramsey St (US Hwy 401 N), Fayetteville.  Info at www.cfarsnc.org

September 4-5, 70^th Annual Shelby Hamfest, Sponsored by the Shelby Amateur Radio Club, held at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 1751 E. Marion St., Shelby.  Info at https://shelbyhamfest.com/

For many years John B, who owned Quick Silver Radio Parts, set up his wares at many of the larger hamfest on the east coast.  You could expect to see him at Charlotte, RARSFEST and Shelby.  He set up tables with coax adapters, short coax cables, antennas, LED’s , power cables and miscellaneous items . 

When I last saw John B he carried an oxygen tank and was taking oxygen through a nasal cannula. Unfortunately, John has passed away but another group has purchased his inventory and the new group was present at RARSfest last weekend.   The company has moved from Connecticut and is now located in the Pennsylvania Dutch portion of the Keystone State, operating out of New Holland PA.

Rest in peace, John B.

Persons traveling to the Dayton Hamvention near Xenia Ohio on May 15-17 may want to take time to visit the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base to look at various Air Force planes (including various retired Air Force One planes used by Presidents).  Another interesting stop in the area is the National Voice of America Museum which has decommissioned very high power shortwave transmitters and a well-equipped ham station.  Info on the VOA Museum can be found at https://voamuseum.org/

A recent RATPAC video focused attention on ten meter operation and encouraged Technician-class operators to look into ten meters.  Ten meters can offer long-distance coverage when the bands are open.  Technician have10 meter voice privileges and can use data as well.  The band plan provides Techs with permission to operate on 28 MHz and can work RTTY and data between 28.000 and 28.300 MHz.  SSB voice by Techs is permitted on 28.300 to 28.5000 MHz. 

Watch the RATPAC video at https://shelbyhamfest.com/ .

With the arrival of warm weather, there are numerous opportunities for hams to be active and enjoy the hobby.  There are Parks on the Air, Field Day, hamfests, the Year of the Club, EmComm training opportunities as well as old fashioned rag chewing.  What you get out of ham radio is related to the effort you put in to be active.

Marv, WA4NC

NC Section Manager

Boone