March 2026 – HamGab

Hamfesters Nets

de Tom Antolak KA9ZXN

2 Meter Net

Every Monday evening at 9PM
on 146.640 MHz -600 shift 107.2PL
Tom, KA9ZXN is net control.

10 Meter Net

Every Sunday evening at 8PM
on 28.410 MHz
Tom, KA9ZXN is net control.

Illinois Repeaters

If you are looking for a complete list of Illinois repeaters, look here. All the Repeater Directors that can be bought are not up to date. The Illinois Repeater Association is the authority and is up to date.

Secretary’s Beat
Meeting Minutes

de Patti Gulick KC9LYE

 Friday Feb. 6, 2026, W9AA club meeting 7:35 pm.

Please check Hamfesters.org for club updates.

Roll: Nora KC9MLV, Jim W9JPR, Kurt WB9FMC, Al N9ZD, Gene W9PNG, Bob N9WDV, Don KC9EQQ, Patti KC9LYE

Visitors: Carl King, who’s taking the license exam next week. David Krivickas KD9ZOW, he’s a former EMA, & friend of Jim W9JPR.
Carl & David have become Hamfesters members.

Tonight, there were 19 members, and 2 visitors welcome everyone.

New Business: On April 26th the Lyons club will hold their 5K run at Richards high school. Hams are needed along the route. If you’d like to volunteer, contact Cindy N9ASC.

Health & Welfare: Gregg AB9MZ, and Dan KA9DAR, are in need of thoughts, and prayers.

Minutes: The January club minutes were approved by Don KC9EQQ, & Ron KB9TOX.

Treasurer’s Report: by Kurt WB9FMC, $600.00 checking acct. $16,013 savings acct.

Programs: Tonight, Mike WA9ZPM, showed us a radio that he’d built.

March Annual white Elephant sale If you’re coming to sell; Bring change, extension cords, and anything not sold Must be taken back home.

April 10th Weather Spotting program presented via Zoom begins at 7:00 pm.

May antennas program via Zoom.

June field day by Jim W9JPR, Jim needs photos from field day 2025

Field Day 2026: The FD chairmen will be Al N9ZD.

Publicity: by Jim W9JPR, there will be publicity for the March meeting.

Adjournment: Don KC9EQQ, and Glenn KC9EPY, 8:29 pm.  Split pot winner: Wayne WA9UHL
Door prize winners: Patti KC9LYE, Glenn KC9EPY, Mike WA9ZPM, Rich KA9HMV, Wayne WA9UHL, Jim W9JPR

Volunteers Needed

de Cindy Shlaustas N9CAS

The Lions Club needs volunteers for the 5K run on April 26, 2026 at 8AM.

Cindy N9CAS is looking for about 15 hams to volunteer for the Lions Club 5K run. It will be starting at Richard’s High School on 107th and Central Ave. in Oak Lawn. It should go from 8AM-12 PM.

Volunteers can contact Cindy N9CAS at (708) 829-9637 or cas66@aol.com . She will have a signup sheet at the meeting

Health & Welfare

Gregg, AB9MZ, and Dan KA9DAR are having health issues.

Please keep them in your prayers.

CQ Field Day

de Jim Riley W9JPR

     This month’s installment of CQ Field Day is directed at members who have joined us since last July.

You missed last year’s Field Day, and you don’t want to miss this one. If you want to learn about HF radio, contesting (even though FD is not a contest), emergency communications and more, Amateur Radio’s biggest operating event is for you. All across North America, 50,000 participants will be operating from more than 2,000 stations and they’ll be looking for you. Our friendly and experienced operators will guide you through your first contact and, we hope, many more. To learn more, check out the ARRL’s Field Day page at https://www.arrl.org/field-day.

In other news, I’m looking for nominations for this year’s GOTA call. The nominee should be a regular Field Day operator whose call we haven’t used previously. No offense to other license classes but we prefer our nominees to be Amateur Extras so the GOTA station has access to all the bands.
I still need pictures from last year’s Field Day. My presentation at the June meeting relies heavily on photographs. The more, the better.
Field Day is June 27 and 28 at Southbridge Church, 15500 73 rd. Ave. in Orland Park. If you’re not sure where that is, check the Field Day locator at arrl.org. You can also look down the hall from the room where we meet. Setup begins at 0800 local time and operations begin at 1300 local or 1800 UTC.

Hamfesters 91th Annual Hamfest Ticket Sales

de Jim Riley W9JPR

Hamfest tickets went on sale at the March meeting. We put 40 into circulation and 16 were sold that night. By this time last year, we had a grand total of 4 sold so we’re way ahead. We also handed out a bunch of flyers.

If you’d like to get in on the fun and help the club, be sure to see me at the next meeting to buy a ticket for yourself or take some to sell. Preferably both. Grab some flyers too, especially if you’re heading to a hamfest.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Tickets and flyers don’t do the club any good sitting in my garage.

Please note that I am actively seeking a replacement ticket sales chair. I will help in any way I can to make the transition as seamless as possible.

General Meeting Security Update

de Jim Riley W9JPR

At the request of Pastor Dean, the front door of our meeting place at SouthBridge Church will be kept secure before, during, and after our meetings. The door will be unlocked at 7 p.m. with someone posted there. It will be locked at 7:30. If you arrive after that time, you can call W9AA on 146.43 MHz or call Jim at 708-218-0695.

The new changes in Illinois law require this policy for the security of the facility and safety of all meeting attendees.

Member Spotlight

de

Would you like your story featured here?

Upgrades

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

I am unaware of any upgrades this month.

New Members

de Bob McDonald N9WDV

We have two new club members.

Carl King – He lives in University Park IL.  He does not have his license yet but plans on taking the test this month. (Carl passed and will receive his Technicians license shortly)

David Krivickas KD9ZOW – He lives in Crest Hill IL and has a Technician class license.

Please make him feel welcome.

We still have several members who have not renewed. If you’re not sure you can contact Bob, N9WDV, or check online here. You can pay online too.

Amateur Radio News

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

Amateur Radio Newsline podcast can be found here.
New episodes air every Friday.

ARRL Audio News can be found here.
New episodes air every Friday.

ARRL On The Air can be found here.
New episodes air usually every second Thursday of the month.

You do not need to login to listen to any of these podcasts, Amateur Radio Newsline, ARRL Audio News or ARRL On The Air. Give them a listen to stay involved and keep up to date with things in the Amateur Radio hobby.

If you ever watched Ham Nation, it went off the air in December 2020. It aired on TWiT. After 8 years and 485 episodes, the show moved to the Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel. January 6, 2021 was the first episode on HRCC. The transition has brought many changes to the show but it remains very informative. You can subscribe for free and get notified when new episodes are available. Ham Nation airs every other Wednesday.

Ham Nation on HRCC can be found here.

International Ham Radio News & Opinion

Upcoming Hamfests

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

2025 Amateur Radio Public Service/Events Calendar (N. IL)

de Kirk Musselman K9MSG

Click the here for Amateur Radio Events

Feb 17 Ham Radio Event  

• Learning (Zoom) Event:  How to create a free Radio Path Study using online tools. 
• Graphic attached
• Flyer attached

Mar 3 Ham Radio Event   

• Unique Simplex Test Event:  A gathering of operators across Northern IL on UHF to help each other with relays while learning about the ‘reach’ of our stations. 
• Graphic attached
• Details and information from which you can borrow is located here on my website.

Kirk

K 9 M S G

DuPage County, IL, USA

UTC 06:00  |  EN51xv  | CQ4  |  ITU-8

Educational Courses for Amateur Radio

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

If you are interesting in learning something new about Amateur Radio you can go to the ARRL Learning Center and take an online course. You don’t need to be a member of the ARRL but you do need to create an account and login if you’re not. It’s free to signup.
Whether you want to learn something specific, like bonding and grounding or maybe a new mode or possibly study to upgrade your license.

Skywarn Training

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

Hamfesters will be conducted Skywarn Basic Spotter Training on April 10, 2026 at the monthly meeting. This meeting will start at 7PM. This is very good information to have even if you’re not going to join a Skywarn net. It may very well save your life or the life of a loved one someday. If you were unable to attend, you can take the course online. It can be found here: COMET – MetEd Education and Training. It states 2 hours, but it’s a little less and done in two parts. You can also save your progress and return later.

After receiving your basic training you can get advanced training at
NWS State College online.

Check into the local weekly Skywarn nets
Northern Cook County Skywarn net Sundays@8PM 147.345 PL 107.2
Tri-Town Weather Net Sundays@8PM 146.805 PL 107.2
South Suburban Skywarn Mondays@8PM 442.375 PL 114.8
Will County Skywarn Mondays@8PM 444.550 PL 114.8
Illinois Radio League Skywarn Mondays@8PM 145.210 PL 107.2
LaPorte Count ARES Skywarn Tuesdays@8PM 146.970 PL 131.8
STARS Skywarn Wednesdays@7PM 146.640 PL 107.2
Will County Skywarn Wednesdays@7:30PM 444.600 PL 114.8
DuPage County Auxcomm Thursdays@7:30PM 444.875 PL 114.8
BARS Skywarn and Training Net Thursdays@8:30PM 147.330 PL 107.2
443.525 PL 114.8
More information can be found at Chicagoland Skywarn.

I was informed that the Grant Park and Homewood repeaters  are both off the air. The owner-tech for those repeaters turned them off and dismantled them both. I did some research and it turns out a friend of mine, Adam, W9AJI, is one of the new owners of the repeater pairs. I spoke with him and he said they will be linked to a group of 6 repeaters for Skywarn for the south suburbs. So at this time I will keep them on the list.

Regional Skywarn Repeaters

City	Frequency (MHz)	PL (Hz)	Internet Node	Area Served
Grant Park	442.375+	114.8		Tinley Park/Chicago Heights
Homewood	441.3+	114.8		Monee/Kankakee
Malta	146.73	100.0		Rockford/DeKalb
Milwaukee	146.91-	127.3		SE Wisconsin
Libertyville	147.18+	107.2		Libertyville/Fox Lake
Northrbook	147.345+	107.2		Chicago/Schaumburg
Valparaiso	146.865+	131.8		Gary/Valparaiso

FCC Color Printable License

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

I’m not sure if anyone else misses having a color license sent from the FCC to hang in their shack, but I do. Anyone licensed before February 17, 2015 would receive a copy of their license via USPS. The watermarks were in color. I found a place to generate your own for free. Follow the link, put in your callsign, print and sign and hang it in a frame.

From experience, do not print from your phone unless you resize it. it will show two (2) pages (second one will be blank) so only print the first page. When resizing if it shows more than two (2) pages some will be cut off. Also, allow the printing of the background or the blue watermark will not show up.

AE7Q Color Printable License

I found this one too. It’s nice and can be put in a frame. Personally I prefer the one above as it looks like an official FCC license, but some may like this one.

WT9V License

Club Merchandise

de Keli Calderone KD9YDT

Support your club! Buy some swag!

The club has short and long sleeve T-Shirts, Polos, Sweatshirts and Pullover Hoodies for sale. I will bring what is available in stock to the monthly meetings. You can email me at KD9YDT@gmail.com to see if I have your size in stock or if it needs to be ordered. These can be purchased at our meetings. If your size is not on hand, they can be ordered. We can also order custom coffee mugs with your call sign and the Hamfesters logo (see below).

I have found a new place to get our embroidery done. My husband had to go to get some uniforms and what do you know, they have an embroidery machine. We will be giving them a try.

Custom mugs are $18 including shipping.

Custom Club Name Badge

The Club has worked on getting name badges for those that are interested. The Board approved a few different styles from two vendors. Links will be provided for you to order your very own Hamfesters name badge.

Ham Crazy has redone our logo, the badge is approximately 3.25″ wide but you can order any size you want. There are also several colors to choose from. The logo and words are engraved into the badge. They are available with a pin back or a magnetic back for an additional dollar. It is suggested that if you have a pacemaker you should not order the magnetic back.

Ron Delpiere-Smith KD9IPO ARRL Assistant Section Manager – Illinois is able to print name badges. The cards are Credit Card Size 3 ⅜” X 2 ⅛”. The cards are configurable with pin, hanging clip for a lanyard or magnet for mounting. Again, it is suggested that if you have a pacemaker you should not order the magnet. You can order by sending Ron an email at kd9ipo@gmail.com. Put Hamfesters Name Badge in the subject line.

Ron also does an FCC Badge for $10. Provide a picture and he can make one for you.

Local Radio Nets

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

You can meet a lot of friends on the local nets. I have the nets I want to check into in my calendar on my phone with an alert 15 minutes before check in. Click here for a list of local radio nets. This list has been created by and is updated monthly by Ben Straw, KC9UNS.

Checking into the different nets will get you accustomed to working the radio which is important to new hams who might be mic shy. Also, when we as hams are called into action to provide emergency communication, you will know not only how to use your radio, but how to communicate information to others.

Amateur Radio Net Formats

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

I know some hams don’t want to check into nets because they’re not sure of the format. Here is an instructional sheet for how to conduct yourself on the different nets. Click here for the instructional guide on Amateur Radio net formats.

Amateur Radio Insurance

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

If you’re looking for insurance for your radio equipment, check out these two links. I don’t have an affiliation with either but I know we spend a lot of money on our equipment. It would cost a lot to replace if stolen or disaster strikes.

ARRL Insurance Program

Ham Radio Insurance Associates (HRIA)

FOR SALE by Owner

ARRL Youth Licensing
Grant Program

de ARRL VEC VE Newsletter

The ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program went into effect on April 19, 2022. ARRL will cover the one-time $35 application fee for new license candidates younger than 18-years old for tests administered under the ARRL VEC program. The $35 FCC application fee will be reimbursed after the ARRL VEC receives the completed reimbursement form and the new license has been issued by the FCC. The reimbursement check will be mailed to the fee payer. Also, candidates younger than 18-years old would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC VE team at the time of the exam. The $5 fee is for all candidates under the age of 18 regardless of the exam level taken. Proof of under 18 status is required at the session. Visit the ARRL website for the program instructions and reimbursement form at ARRL Youth Licensing Program.

The ARRL Board approved the “Youth Licensing Grant Program” at its July 2021 meeting in Hartford, Connecticut, expanding on the scope of the original motion proposed by ARRL Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB. The new program will cover the $35 FCC license application fee for candidates younger than 18-years old. The Board believes that “the recruitment and training of young amateur radio operators is a necessary and proper mission of the ARRL, and that subsidization of the $35 fee will reduce the number of new amateurs that otherwise would be lost from these groups,” the Board said. Initially the new program would serve up to 1,000 new license applicants under 18 years old. The program length is indefinite; it may be renewed or terminated by the Administration and Finance Committee or by the Board of Directors. The motion carried with applause from Board members.

Hamfesters VE Testings

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

Important Note: Amateur Radio Exams

1. Bring 2 pencils for the answer sheet, and a Black ink ball point pen for the FCC VEC 605 form we provide.  (FCC registration form)
2. Exam Candidates: Prior to your arrival. You are REQUIRED to register in the FCC CORES system online and receive a FCC Registration Number (FRN) before exam day.
   Once you have obtained the FRN number, please bring it with you to the exam location. To apply for the FRN, please go here.>>>  FCC Registration Login 
   Already Licensed? Please bring your Official Amateur License and Photo Copy of Your License. The FRN number is printed on your FCC License. (also found on the GMRS license if you have one) ALL Copies are filed with all testing materials. You will keep the originals. The FCC ULS CORES system must have a valid email address.  Otherwise you may not get your License.
   The FRN number is a requirement on the FCC 605 form we provide and your Exam answer sheet.
3. A fee of $15 dollars is charged for the examination. Payment is Cash ONLY — no credit cards or checks accepted.
4. Please bring a photo ID such as a Government Drivers License or US passport.
5. Exam location is at Oak Forest City Hall 15440 S. Central Ave. Oak Forest.  Enter through the Police Station Door and follow the ARRL EXAM Signs to the Exam Area.
6. Yes, You may bring your calculator, however you must demonstrate that all memories are erased.
7. Walk-ins no longer accepted, you must contact Dennis at KC9DSP@gmail.com prior to testing date to register to test.

NOTE:     Starting  April 19, 2022 the FCC $35.00 Amateur Application Fee Starts. This new fee will only apply to applicants for a new 10 year License, renewal, rule waiver or a new vanity call sign.  (The $35.00 Application Fee is non-refundable) There will be no charge for future License Upgrades or administrative updates, such as a change of mailing address or email address.

The New $35.00 Fee will NOT be collected by the VE’s (Volunteer Examiners). ALL Exam paperwork including exam fees, answer sheets and Form 605s are mailed to the ARRL-VEC headquarters. If you passed your exam the ARRL-VEC will submit your information to the FCC. Once the FCC runs batch processing, they will email you the process to pay the $35.00 fee. (usually credit card) You will have Ten calendar days to pay per instructions giving by the FCC. If payment is properly transferred, the FCC will then email instructions to download your License.  You will have 30 days to download the Amateur license. 

Again, The FCC must have your valid email address in the ULS CORES system.

ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program starts on April 19, 2022

Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board of Directors, at its July 2021 meeting, approved the "ARRL Board Establishes Program to Cover Initial FCC License Fee for Young Applicants." Under the program, ARRL will cover a one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18 years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC upon examination.

To give yourself practice on all the questions: Please click on the Website below that contains Exam Flash Cards Go to  >>>  Ham Exam fee exams   Click on the Flash Cards for the Class of Exam you wish to study. You can also take the practice Exams found on the same Web Site. It’s free and a good practice prior to any Exam Session.

73’s   Dennis KC9DSP   VEC

VE Testing Results

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

We had two candidates for our VE session for February. Both earned their Technician licenses.

March 2026 Contest Calendar

From WA7BNM Contest Calendar Website

March 2026
SARL Hamnet 40m Simulated Emerg Contest	1200Z-1400Z, Mar 1
NSARA Contest	1200Z-2200Z, Mar 1
North Carolina QSO Party	1500Z, Mar 1 to 0100Z, Mar 2
ARS Spartan Sprint	0100Z-0300Z, Mar 3
AGCW YL-CW Party	1900Z-2100Z, Mar 3
ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB	0000Z, Mar 7 to 2359Z, Mar 8
Novice Rig Roundup	0000Z, Mar 7 to 2359Z, Mar 15
Wake-Up! QRP Sprint	0600Z-0800Z, Mar 7
Open Ukraine RTTY Championship	1800Z, Mar 7 to 1359Z, Mar 8
4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint	0000Z-0200Z, Mar 9
YB DX RTTY Contest	0000Z-2359Z, Mar 14
SARL VHF/UHF FM Contest	0800Z, Mar 14 to 1000Z, Mar 15
Commonwealth (BERU) Contest	1000Z, Mar 14 to 1000Z, Mar 15
EA PSK63 Contest	1200Z, Mar 14 to 1200Z, Mar 15
SKCC Weekend Sprintathon	1200Z, Mar 14 to 2359Z, Mar 15
DIG QSO Party, SSB	1200Z, Mar 14 to 1100Z, Mar 15
South America 10 Meter Contest	1200Z, Mar 14 to 1200Z, Mar 15
AGCW QRP Contest	1400Z-2000Z, Mar 14
Oklahoma QSO Party	1500Z, Mar 14 to 2200Z, Mar 15
Stew Perry Topband Challenge	1500Z, Mar 14 to 1500Z, Mar 15
Idaho QSO Party	1600Z, Mar 14 to 0200Z, Mar 16
North American Sprint, RTTY	0000Z-0359Z, Mar 15
Wisconsin QSO Party	1800Z, Mar 15 to 0100Z, Mar 16
Run for the Bacon QRP Contest	2300Z, Mar 15 to 0100Z, Mar 16
Bucharest Digital Contest	1800Z-2059Z, Mar 16
NTC QSO Party	1900Z-2000Z, Mar 19
PODXS 070 Club St Patrick’s Day Contest	0000Z-2359Z, Mar 21
BARTG HF RTTY Contest	0200Z, Mar 21 to 0159Z, Mar 23
Russian DX Contest	1200Z, Mar 21 to 1200Z, Mar 22
AGCW VHF/UHF Contest	1400Z-1800Z, Mar 21
Virginia QSO Party	1400Z, Mar 21 to 2359Z, Mar 22
SKCC Sprint	0000Z-0200Z, Mar 25
CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB	0000Z, Mar 28 to 2359Z, Mar 29

Kids Learning
Ham Radio

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

I watched a really good livestream program on “How to Teach Ham Radio with Drew AC3DS”.
Drew is a high school teacher teaching kids from grades 7-12 Amateur Radio. It sounds like a great program. They are also looking for donations. I will be donating to Drew to help offset the cost of sharing our hobby with these kids.
The program is here: HRCC: How to Teach Ham Radio. I will put a disclaimer here, It was one of HRCC’s longest livestreams. Lots of people watching were asking questions and it went over the normal hour that HRCC’s livestreams go, but it was definitely worth watching.
I emailed Drew to find out how to donate. He informed me that the school is renovating their building and making a second radio room. They will have 7 radio booths. Each booth will host two students. They are hoping to be able to have a HF and a VHF radio in every booth. The school is covering the cost of the renovation and the furniture. The students are figuring out how to acquire the equipment.
If the donation is in the form of money, the easiest and best way is by a check, sent to the school. Checks would be made out to Harborcreek School District, with a memo line of “for the Advanced Technologies Group”. The check could be sent to: Harborcreek High School, Attn: Drew Mortensen, 6375 Buffalo Rd., Harborcreek, PA 16421.
If the donation is in the form of equipment or materials, those items can be sent to: Harborcreek High School, Attn: Drew Mortensen, 6375 Buffalo Rd., Harborcreek, PA 16421.
They are appreciative of every coax connector, every jumper cable and every piece of hardware. Everything will find a home.

Elmers

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

We are looking for club Elmers. If you have expertise in a particular part or mode of amateur radio and want to be an Elmer, let us know.

A lot of times it’s hard to find Elmers who have knowledge for a particular part of amateur radio. As I stated in my bio when I became the HamGab editor, life became busy, and I stepped away from amateur radio for a few years. When I came back, there was a lot of new information and modes. I found a few YouTube channels that helped. I want to share those here. There are a lot more and I’m sure you can find some that you like.

Ham Radio Crash Course.

Ham Radio 2.0.

Dave Casler (KE0OG) Ask Dave.

LCARA HAMRadio.

Ham Radio for Non-Techies.

Solar Weather

de Dennis Calderone KC9DSP

As we all know, solar weather and activity affects radio communications. The conditions not only affect HF, but UHF and VHF as well. Dr. Tamitha Skov has a YouTube channel with weekly updates on what our sun is doing and how it is affecting our communications. You can find here channel here.

Amateur Radio Legislation

de Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA ARRL Central Division Director

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.,
introduced Senate legislation (S.3690) to give amateur radio operators
the right to install their antennas and serve their community. The House
introduced the same bill (H.R.4006) in June 2023.
Homeowner association rules prevent amateur radio operators from
installing outdoor antennas on residential properties even though this
communication method has proven to be essential in emergencies and
natural disasters, such as hurricanes in states like Mississippi and
Connecticut.

ARRL Central Division
Director: Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA
k9la@arrl.org

S.3690 – Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act

ARRL Illinois Section

ARRL Illinois Section Website
A lot of information about Amateur Radio in Illinois.

Some Humor

Club Information

Meetings and VE Testing

Pictures from Meetings

de Don Pointer, KC9EQQ

February 2026

Disclaimer

Notice: All information found here should be correct, but hey, I’m human. This is not AI and I’m busy. Have less free time now that I’m retired. Please think about sending me stuff to add.