Up to $25,000 at Stake in New ARRL Student Coding Competition

Pre-registration is now open for a Student Coding Competition, a new national challenge sponsored by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio®. The project is designed to engage young radio amateurs in shaping the future of amateur radio through software development. Open to ARRL-member amateur radio operators aged 21 and younger, the competition will invite students to design a mobile app that supports ARRL and the amateur radio community. Cash awards totalling up to $25,000 will be presented to one or more winning entries.

The competition officially begins on 1st January 2026, when complete rules and application specifications will be released at coding.arrl.org. Participants are reminded not to start coding yet — entries must follow the published requirements. Project submissions will be due by 31st March 2026. Entries will be judged on how well they meet the specifications, user interface design and usability, code quality and stability, and the inclusion of extra features.

Adult ARRL members are encouraged to help spread the word and support the next generation of amateur radio innovators. ARRL Student Membership is free for full-time students aged 21 and younger, removing a key barrier to participation. Young hams, educators, and mentors are encouraged to pre-register now at coding.arrl.org to receive updates as additional details become available and to prepare for this exciting opportunity to contribute lasting tools to amateur radio.

More Information - http://www.arrl.org/news/view/up-to-25-000-at-stake-in-new-arrl-student-coding-competition

Student Success with DMR Project In India

Exactly one year ago, ham radio stations were established in 20 residential schools in disadvantaged areas of one state in southwest India. One year later, teachers and their students have become a small, thriving amateur radio community thanks to these small digital mobile radios, or DMR.

The challenge of teaching science and communication to disadvantaged students in the Indian state of Karnataka [CAR-NUH-TOCK-AH] got a big boost one year ago when the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society turned 20 of its schools into hamshacks. Some of the teachers became hams and, in turn, guided their young students in grades 6 through 12 along the way. Forty students became hams and were soon using the DMR hand-held radios, participating in the daily net and connecting to the world.

More broadly, with the installation of DMR base stations by the Indian Institute of Hams, the schools themselves became communication hubs that could be used when natural disasters knocked out conventional means of contact in their remote rural communities.

“...a wonderful hobby, fun in a hands-on way.”

— Shirin, VU3DBO

The past year has been one of challenge and innovation for Shirin, VU3DBO, one of the 20 teachers in the school system who received her ham radio certificate from the Ministry of Communication. The science teacher wove the radio curriculum into the classes where she also taught about energy, technology, the environment and space.

Jim Shaffer, KE5AL, Advocate For Blind Hams Becomes SK At 72

An advocate for hams who are blind and for the Handiham program that serves amateur radio operators with disabilities has become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Travis Lisk N3ILS.

The amateur radio software developed by Jim Shaffer, KE5AL, gave hams who are blind the ability to control and monitor their HF rigs without needing a sighted person's assistance, providing the freedom of independent operating in their shacks. The retired IBM software engineer knew that operating challenge all too well: he was blind since birth.

Jim became a Silent Key on the 2nd December 2025. According to his online obituary, the Texas resident died of complications from Parkinson's disease.

Jim's well-known applications, JJRadio and JJ Flex Radio, attracted attention for their promise of accessibility when used with many different radio models. His development of the free programs brought him to the attention of host Hap Holly/KC9RP, host of the RAIN Report, which featured an interview with Jim. Hap, who became a Silent Key earlier this year, had also been blind since birth -- and like Jim, also supported the Handiham program, which trains and serves the community of hams with disabilities.

Non-hams in Central Texas also knew Jim well for his other deep involvement: He was a versatile musician and popular fiddler in a number of music groups, including the Piney Grove Ramblers.