Every time you get on the air, you’re using radio frequency spectrum that billion-dollar companies would love to own. Amateur radio bands don’t exist by accident—they exist because hams before us fought to keep them, and that fight never ends. ¹
The Voice of American Amateur Radio Since 1914
In 1914, Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska founded the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) to organize a formal relay system. Just a year later, QST magazine launched to connect hams nationwide. By the time World War I forced amateurs off the air, the ARRL was already proving its worth—advocating for hams and fighting to restore amateur radio operating privileges when peace returned. ²
That vital mission has never stopped. Wireless spectrum is a valuable resource. Cell carriers, satellite providers, and broadband companies all want more of it. Without a strong national advocate, amateur radio would slowly be squeezed out.
Your Advocate in Washington D.C.
The ARRL is that advocate. It’s the only organization with dedicated lawyers and lobbyists in Washington, D.C., standing guard at the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and in Congress. When commercial interests file to grab spectrum, or lawmakers draft new rules, the ARRL pushes back and makes sure amateur radio operator voices are heard.
If we lose spectrum, we lose the heart of the hobby. Your ARRL membership dues don’t just buy digital magazines—they directly fund the defense of ham radio itself.
Joining the ARRL isn’t only about membership perks. It’s about ensuring the next generation of hams has frequencies left to operate on. Protect the airwaves and secure the future of the hobby.
Join the ARRL today and be part of the fight!
- EchoStar to sell full portfolio of AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses to SpaceX for $17 billion
AT&T to Acquire Spectrum Licenses from EchoStar for $23 billion - Information from Wikipedia, American Radio Relay League, and QST.