Weekend Update for 10/16/2026
Drum Roll, Please!! It is time for all the news that is the news for your Weekend Update, on everything that will keep your radio humming, and your antennas tuned.
This update is also available on the Clubs Discord channel. Check it out!
Weather
You might not have noticed the low amount of precipitation this morning, I know it has my spirits up. Thankfully, right at about the time we are getting off work today, there is supposed to be a Thunderstorm…. So today is a bit of a wash. (get it!!?!?!?)_ However, Saturday and Sunday should be much nicer, although on the chilly side, with lows in the 30’s and highs in the mid to high 50’s. Fall is definitely here!!
The solar conditions show an SFI of 126 (solar flux index (SFI) is the intensity of solar radio emissions. Higher the better up to about 300, so not great, and a rise from 119 last week). The A index is 9 ( daily numerical average of the K Index of Earth’s geomagnetic field and activity. The lower the better from 0-400, and the same as last week), and K index of 2 (lower is better, 2= quiet and stable Earths magnetic field, a drop from 4 last week). 10-12m are poor in the night only, with the rest of the bands being fair to good.
Events
- October 16th–18th 2026 – Third Full Weekend of October – Autumn Support Your Local Parks – Parks on the Air (POTA). Make any contact, or activate any park during this weekend for the Autumn Activator/Hunter for Support Your Local Parks.
- October 16th-18th, 2026, National Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts) (K2BSA) – Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) – the world’s largest Scouting event. The three-day event using amateur radio and the internet to connect Scouts worldwide for a full weekend of on-air and online activities that promote friendship and global citizenship. Many Scouting America Troops, Packs and Venturing crews from around the world, and specifically in Maryland will hold events at local parks and Scouting Reservations.
- Frequencies that will be monitored by the K2BSA (BSA Amateur Radio Club) can be found at https://k2bsa.net/scout-frequencies/
- KC3FOX will be at a Scout Reservation (trying to stay warm) and will be monitoring Echolink (JOTA365 channel), 20 meters (probably around 14.290 mhz), 6m (50.160 mhz), 2m (146.520 mhz), and maybe have APRS up and running (basically to advertise our frequencies). It should be a blast!
- October 17th, 2026 – St Mary’s County Amateur Radio Association is hosting its Annual Tailgate Festival. 24801 Three Notch Rd. Hollywood, MD 20636. (1hr 30 mins from APL). More information at https://smcara.org/2026/09/12/tailgate-2026/.
Special Events Stations
- ARRL America250 Worked All States
- A Year-Long Worked-All-States Operating Event Celebrating the 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Ongoing.
- October 12th-21st, 0001Z-2359Z, 3rd Annual National Sasquatch Awareness Day (W7DK), Tacoma. Radio Club Of Tacoma. 14.255. Certificate & QSL. Radio Club of Tacoma c/o Bigfoot, PO Box 1188, Tacoma, WA 98411. Callsigns W7B, W7I, W7G, W7F, W7O, W7T, W4S (Bonus Station) ALL Bands Modes: CW, SSB, FT-8/4, RTTY https://w7dk.org
- October 15th-25th, 0000Z-2359Z, BEAM, Blind Equality Achievement Month (K4B), Lancaster, SC. STEM Amateur Radio Club. 145.350MHz. QSL. Vicki Carnes/ AD3i, 1093 Outlaw Avenue, Lancaster, SC 29720. https://www.stemarc.org
- October 17th-18th, 0000Z-2359Z, Chuck Berry 100th Birthday Special Event (W0B), St. Louis, MO. St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club. 7.180 14.250 28.350. Certificate & QSL. Special Event W0B, c/o Jim Briggs, 19429 Quarry Road, Warrenton, MO 63383.
- October 17th-18th, 0917Z-1207Z, National Mashed Potato Day (W9P), Plover, WI. Central Sands Amateur Radio. 14.320MHz 40m depending upon band cond. 15M band conditions . Certificate. Phil Schobert, 300 Polk St, Stevens Point, WI 54481.
- October 17th, 1400Z-2000Z, Skyview Founders Day (K3MJW), New Kensington, PA. Skyview Radio Society. 7.260 14.260. QSL. Skyview Radio Society, 2335 Turkey Ridge Rd, New Kensington, PA 15068. Celebrating the founding members of Skyview Radio Society in 1960 https://www.skyviewradio.net
- October 17th, 1500Z-1700Z, Town of Redington Beach Florida Safety Day (NE2CC), Saint Petersburg, FL. Gulf Coast Contest Club. 14.175 21.395 28.340 . Certificate. Gulf Coast Contest Club, 16001 2nd St E, Saint Petersburg, FL 33708. https://gulfcoastcontestclub.org
- October 17th, 1400Z-2000Z, Yorktown Special Event (K4RC), Williamsburg, VA. Williamsburg Area Amateur Radio Club. 7.265 14.265. Certificate. Williamsburg Area Amateur Radio Club, P.O. Box 1470, Williamsburg, VA 23187.
Contests
State QSO Contests
| State | Date/Times |
|---|---|
| New York | 1400Z, October 17 to 0200Z, October 18, 2026 |
| Illinois | 1700Z, October 18 to 0100Z, October 19, 2026 |
ARRL Contests
- October 19th-23rd - School Club Roundup – A contest for school clubs (Elementary through College/University) to make as many contacts as they are able during the allotted contest time. More information https://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup
Other Contests
International Contests not ARRL but more information can be found at https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php.
| Contest | Date/Times |
|---|---|
| 902 MHz and Up Fall Sprint | 0800 local - 1400 local, October 17th |
| Worked All Germany Contest | 1500Z, October 17th to 1459Z, October 18th |
| Stew Perry Topband Challenge | 1500Z, October 17th to 1500Z, October 18th |
| Feld Hell Sprint | 2000Z-2359Z, October 17th |
| Argentina National 7 MHz Contest | 2130Z-2330Z, October 17th |
| Asia-Pacific Fall Sprint, CW | 0000Z-0200Z, October 18th |
| UBA ON Contest, 2m | 0700Z-1000Z, October 18th |
| Run for the Bacon QRP Contest | 2300Z, October 18th to 0100Z, October 19th |