NEW Help Pass The HOA Legislation
New this month The Prarire Voice 2025
New this month ARES Representatives Map
Welcome from the Section Manager
We would like to invite you to browse through the information listed here and take advantage of the services offered to you as a member of the American Radio Relay League. The ARRL Field Organization is here to serve you. If you have a problem, question or simply need more information, please feel free to contact anyone on the IL section staff. They will be happy to hear from you and will either answer you directly or steer you to the right person
CALLING ALL AMATEURS
ARRL has launched its legislative action campaign to get ALL radio amateurs involved in sending a message to their Congressional representatives
Telling them that they want to see passage of bills H.R.1094 and S.459, the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
NOW is the time for YOU to encourage ALL of your fellow hams to go to:
If you are a member of a club We need your help too!
EVERY licensed amateur radio operator is welcome to participate!
ARRL Illinois Section Newsletter
November 2025
Winters just around the corner. I awoke to 27 degrees that felt like 11 degrees when I took my dogs out. I’m lucky though. I didn’t have to deal with snow like some of you. All I had was a few flurries. It made me think to remind you now is the time to make sure your antennas can survive the winter season!
The holidays will soon be on us. Then we start the new year 2026.
What is Special about 2026? It’s the 250th Anniversary of America, the 60th Superbowl (for football fans) and the 100th Anniversary of ARRL Field Organization which I mentioned in my last newsletter.
So, who or what, is the Field Organization?
All of us, Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator, Assistant Section Managers, Cabinet members (Public Information Coordinator, Accredited Clubs Coordinator, Technical Specialists, and other appointments), District Emergency Coordinators, Assistant Emergency Coordinators, are what makes our Illinois Field Services organization function for you. We all represent you.
2026 has also been designated by the ARRL as the Year Of The Club.
To celebrate clubs there are a number of things planned. They include, a dedicated website for Club Recognition of Legacy Clubs, a dedicated website for Club Activity Reporting, a Club News newsletter column, a Club Station Monthly column and a Club Spotlight on Clubs that welcome new members.
There will also be an Affiliated Club Promotion that recognizes clubs whose ARRL Membership is near 100 Percent, a Special Service Club Promotion, and more Hamfest Promotion and Support.
For those of you who remember our W1AW/9 activity a couple of years back, as part of the celebration, we will again have two weeks to operate as W1AW/9. More to come on that, but in the interim, if you are interested in operating W1AW/9 (CW, Phone, Digital, all bands except 60 meters) for a few hours contact either me (w9ry@arrl.org) or W9KXQ (w9kxq@arrl.net) so we can develop a list of operators.
The ARRL is making a strong effort to encourage legislation H.R.1094 and S.459, (the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act, which aims to prevent restrictive HOA rules that limit amateur radio antennas) to allow those operators who live in HOA’s to be able to put up reasonable amateur antennas. Notice I said “reasonable”. One argument I heard against it is, “They agreed to the rules when they moved there and their neighbors don’t want to look at their 150 foot tall tower.” Obviously a 150 foot tower is not “reasonable”.
You are encouraged to support the legislation by sending letters to your representative and senators. You can do this by going to https://send-a-letter.org/HOA/ and after you type in your call sign, it will populate your information. Then click the “SEND MY LETTERS” icon. All of the letters will be printed and delivered directly to your representative and senators to let them know their constituents support the legislation. I worry that if we don’t get this passed by the end of the year, it will never pass.
Clubs are also encouraged to send letters. Instruction can be found at:
arrl.org CompletingtheClubLettersforCongress
You do not have to be an ARRL member nor an ARRL Affiliated Club to send the support letters.
2026 is promising to be filled with a lot of activities. While we await their start, take time to enjoy the holiday with friends and family and be safe.
73
Thom W9RY
ARRL Club Liability Insurance Information
ARRL is aware that some amateur radio clubs who had been insured by Marsh/AIG, a previous provider of the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Program, are receiving notices that their club liability insurance is not being renewed. ARRL discontinued its relationship with Marsh/AIG in 2011, but some clubs who had previously enrolled in the policies were still renewing with the old provider -- and not in the current ARRL program.
The current program administrator (since 2015) for the ARRL-sponsored Club Liability Insurance Program is Risk Strategies. ARRL has a strong relationship with the current administrator who understands the importance of local amateur radio clubs and will help clubs seek new policies. Risk Strategies also administers the ARRL Equipment Insurance Plan for members.
Clubs that are affected by the loss of coverage from the previous provider are encouraged to contact Risk Strategies. Please visit Risk Strategies online at arrlinsurance.com or by phone at 1-866-819-0209 (please leave a message and your call will be returned).
ARRL is not able to help them with questions on insurance and all questions should be directed to Risk Strategies.