Special Events & Opportunities for Ham Radio Operators
Who Likes Free Things?
Happily, our hobby doesn’t need to be expensive to be fun. Of course, there are plenty of ways to spend money on our amateur radio hobby and it can add up quick. That said, amateur radio operators embrace the idea of knowledge sharing and the exchange of resources. This includes many software tools, guides and technical documents, learning events, and more.
Whether you are a deeply experienced operator or a newly licensed ham, it’s worth exploring 25 Things Every Ham Radio Operator Can Get for Free. It’s likely you know a few of these already.
Special Event Station Celebrates Railroad’s 50th
You can join amateur radio operators in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad in Pennsylvania!
The W3ND Radio Club will be stepping back in time aboard a vintage 1920s rail coach.
Join them on the airways from 12 noon to 4 pm EDT (–4UTC) on August 15, 2026, at 14.260 & 7.190 MHz SSB, 14.025 & 7.050 CW, and IRLP station 7060. QSL cards may be requested using the online form at the W3ND Radio Club website. You may contact Richard (KB3YRC) with questions at KB3YRC@comcast.net.
This railroad operates daily for passenger and freight needs. If you’re in the neighborhood, public viewing is available from the Race Street entrance. Rides are available with the purchase of a ticket.
AmateurRadioEvents.com Completes its First Year!
AmateurRadioEvents.com was launched on March 4, 2025. Learn more about its first year one and what’s to come on our About page.
Talk with Scouts on the Air! See Upcoming Events
Activations of Midwest Scout troops in 2026 are underway! Upcoming events have been scheduled. Are they on your calendar? Details may be found here.
Please take a few minutes to reach out during these Scouts on the Air events to give them a QSO and a lasting memory. They may become future licensed operators or decide to pursue the Radio Merit Badge. Thanks for giving them your encouragement and for helping support these events which are sponsored by area radio groups.
Please consider volunteering at one of our Scouts on the Air events. No experience is needed, no equipment is not required, and we provide the guidance and structure in advance of each event to make it easy and fun! Simply email ScoutsOnTheAir@outlook.com. Our organizer and the Scout leaders are youth safety trained by Scouting America and the troops are eager for the insights we bring into communications, technology, science, and geography through an amateur radio experience.
Do you know a troop who may be interested in this program? Please direct their leaders to our Scouts on the Air website.
Amateur Radio Licensing Test Pool Questions Updated
The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators recently made updates to the General Class and Extra Class question pools. Visit the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators Question Pools link on our Test Prep Events page for more details and to access the pool questions.
Good luck! Be sure to reach out to an area club for help with preparation and test testing!
Survey of Northern IL Club Leaders just Completed
Leaders from 26 amateur radio clubs across Northeast IL contributed to our brief survey of in recent weeks. Thank you! The survey’s goal is to help them learn more about the efforts and opportunities within area clubs to attract and retain individuals to our hobby and their groups. A portion of that data has been published on our Club & Net Events page.
We hope you find the results interesting and that they might spark ideas among all of us for how we can further create fun, learning opportunities to attract individuals to our hobby and clubs.
We are considering a future survey aimed at area radio operators which might bring insights into areas in which you most hope to grow experience and skills, connect with fellow hams, and find support from area clubs.
Annual Chicagoland DX Convention
You’re invited to one of the premier DX conventions in the country to enjoy programs, equipment, vendors, QSL card checking, prozes and more.
When: Sept 11-12, 2026
Where: Chicago Marriott Naperville
How: Visit W9DXCC for details!
Talk with the International Space Station (ISS) Crew
With some effort and patience, any ham radio operator can have the unforgetable experience (and bragging rights) of having spoken with a member of the crew on the International Space Station (ISS).
While it’s rare that they have scheduled time to chat with ham radio operators, it is not uncommon for the crew to take to the radio during their down time. The best times for making contact are between 18:30 and 19:30 UTC and on weekends.
Set your radio to 437.800MHz downlink and 145.990 MHz uplink (CTCSS 67hz) and give it a try with your favorite Yagi antenna while using an app that tracks the ISS passes during those time slots (ISS Spotter, GoISSWatch, ISS Dectector, etc.). Then, set your alarm and listen for those magic words, “Wecome to the ISS”. More details are available from Amateur Radio of the International Space Station (ARISS).
Every Sunday 8pm ET/7CT/6MT/5PT.
WA9ORC 440 Repeater
443.750+ PL 114.8
EL: 62478 or WA9ORC-R
Allstar: 555492
Join the Year-long, ARRL, Worked-All-States 250th Anniversary Celebration
In conjuction with ARRL’s 2026 Year of the Club and our nation’s 250th Anniversary, enjoy contacting operators accross the US. Find more details here.
2026 Ham Radio Period Table of Contest Events!
