This is The Ham Radio Insider for the week of October nineteenth. Coming up, new F C C equipment-marketing requirements are affecting online radio sales, six amateur satellites have reached orbit, and the C Q World Wide D X Contest returns with important rule changes. We’ll also check the latest D X opportunities, upcoming events, space weather, and the closing days of the ay R R L Online Auction.
In this episode:
• FCC equipment-marketing rules prompt eBay restrictions, with exemption for ham-band-only gear
• Six amateur satellites reach orbit on SpaceX Transporter-18
• Several rare and uncommon DX operations are active or scheduled through late October
• CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest returns October 24-25 with revised rules
• NOAA outlook calls for unsettled geomagnetic conditions around October 20-23
• ARRL International EME Contest resumes October 31 on 50 MHz through 1296 MHz
• Multiple regional hamfests and conventions are scheduled for October 24 and October 30-31
• ARRL Online Auction remains open through October 22
Sources & further reading:
• The ARRL Letter for October 15, 2026: https://www.arrl.org/arrlletterissue?issue=2026-10-15
• ANS-284 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins: https://www.amsat.org/ans-284-amsat-news-service-weekly-bulletins/
• DXpedition Calendar — Announced & Active DXpeditions: https://dxping.com/dxpeditions.php
• 2026 CQ World-Wide DX Contest Rules: https://www.cqww.com/rules/
• 27-Day Outlook of 10.7 cm Radio Flux and Geomagnetic Indices: https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/text/27-day-outlook.txt
• EME Contest: https://www.arrl.org/eme-contest
• Search for ARRL Hamfests and Conventions: https://www.arrl.org/hamfests/search/page%3A1/model%3Aevent
• ARRL Online Auction: https://www.arrl.org/arrl-online-auction
