There’s an awful lot of fun in amateur radio…so this will have to be an awful lot of webpage

Clubs

You do not need to be a licensed ham radio operator to join us at the Aero Amateur Radio Club.

Come visit and see how ham radio is enjoyed! You’ll find plenty of members with friendly advice, direction on getting your license, find amateur radio as a public service and how best to enjoy the hobby! Meeting are at 7:30PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. It’s not unusual for members to arrive earlier to meet, greet and chat.

Location: Essex SkyPark Association FBO Building at 1401 Diffendal Road Essex, MD 21221.

NOTE: The FBO is closed for renovations until May, 2024, earliest. We are meeting on Zoom starting around 6pm with the official start at 7:30pm. Contact us for the link.

If you’re far from Middle River, Maryland, the ARRL has a club directory to check.

Canada’s amateur radio service website is https://www.rac.ca

Contesting (or Radiosport, if you prefer)

“Love doesn’t drop on you unexpectedly; you have to give off signals, sort of like an amateur radio operator.”

Helen Gurley Brown, editor, Cosmopolitan Magazine from 1965-1997

Contesting is an excellent opportunity to feed your competitive spirit as well as see how your ham radio is doing. The goal is simple: get as many contacts as you can in a specific period of time. The effort teaches you how to work your antenna, operate your rig, quickly and efficiently trade information (the “exchange”), properly file your results (gotta keep score, right?!) and experience the challenges of terrain, the atmosphere and, yes, the Sun on your radio signal.

Each contest is sponsored, has its own rules regarding the exchange and the log submission. The ARRL has a contest calendar. Bruce, WA7BNM, keeps a reliable contest calendar as well.

The Aero Club participates in Field Day, the 3rd weekend of June each year. More on Field Day in a separate section.

Field Day 2025 page here

Field Day Pictures, 2024

How space weather affects ham radio operations:

Wings & Wheels 2024 Slide Show Below…