Columbia Amateur Radio Club

10/10/2026

Weather or not, are you prepared!

10/08/2026

Is your source for weather information reliable?
The National Weather Service reports that in South Carolina, potential impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias include heavy rainfall and localized flooding, which could begin as early as late Friday and continue through the weekend.
Keep in mind that social media can be flooded with rumors, speculation and inaccurate forecasts. For information you can trust, turn to the National Weather Service and other reliable local and national sources.

10/08/2026

Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) will take place the third full weekend of October. This annual Scouting event connects Scouts globally via amateur radio. Operations are expected on 10m, 15m, 20m, 40m, 80m, 2m, and 70cm, utilizing CW and SSB modes. JOTA coincides with Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI).

10/03/2026

Visited the Fort Jackdon Repeater site today. For those who are curious. This is the repeater and duplexer. I also preformed a antenna sweep with a NanoVNA. The feedline and antenna registered below 1.34 between 146.000 and 147.000. The SWR line is the light blue across the bottom.

09/27/2026

Thank you for your patience and understanding! The ASL3 node and router are back online and ready.

09/27/2026

📡 October 5th Featured Presenter: Anthony from HelioClock!

We’re excited to announce that Anthony Watts, KA9NWM — creator of HelioClock — will be our featured presenter at the Columbia Amateur Radio Club meeting on October 5th!

HelioClock has been making waves across the amateur‑radio community, debuting at major events like the Huntsville Hamfest and earning praise as a HamClock/Geochron‑class dashboard built for modern operators.

Anthony will walk us through the HelioClock system — an always‑on, all‑in‑one RF situational‑awareness display designed for ham shacks, emergency operations centers, and anyone who needs real‑time radio and environmental data at a glance.

Why This Is a Must‑See Presentation
HelioClock brings together the tools operators normally spread across multiple screens:

- Live HF band conditions and space‑weather indicators
- Grey line maps and global propagation context
- DX cluster activity and contest information
- POTA and AMSAT pass tracking
- Real‑time data feeds, weather alerts, and world maps
- Integrated RTL‑SDR waterfall and tuning controls for AM/FM/SSB monitoring


This is more than a shack display — it’s a full RF cockpit built on Raspberry Pi hardware, giving operators a powerful, subscription‑free dashboard that boots from a simple SD card.

Anthony will also share insights from the development process, answer questions, and demonstrate how HelioClock can enhance everyday operating, emergency communications, and club‑station awareness.

🗓️ Meeting Details
Join us on October 5th — in person or via Zoom.

Zoom link and meeting access details are available on the CARC Club Calendar at W4CAE.com.

👉 Visit the calendar here: *https://w4cae.com/club-calendar/

09/24/2026

📻 Hams Making More Hams: Help Us Grow the CARC Family!⚡🤝

Here at the Columbia Amateur Radio Club, we all share a deep love for the airwaves, public service, and the vibrant community we’ve built together. But if our hobby is going to thrive for decades to come, we know one golden rule: our hobby grows from within!

To keep welcoming new operators, training future emergency communicators, and sharing our passion, we need our experienced crew to step up.

Are you a General or Extra class licensee? We are looking for active hams to join our Volunteer Examiner (VE) team!

Why Become a VE with CARC?

* Share the Joy: There is nothing quite like hearing the excitement in a new operator's voice when they pass their exam.
* Support Local Growth: By helping test and license new candidates, you are directly fueling the future of amateur radio right here in our community.
* Connect with Friends: Work alongside fellow club members to keep our testing sessions running smoothly and warmly.

You don't need a formal teaching background—just a willingness to help folks get their ticket and join the fun.

👇 Want to get involved or help out at our next exam session? Drop a comment below, send us a direct message, or email us at [email protected] to connect with the team.

Let’s keep the airwaves alive—one new ham at a time! 73! 📡✨

09/21/2026

Very timely session. Will cover this at our September Lunch and Learn

🧽 Time to scrub those spurious emissions!

Join ARRL Director for Learning and Education Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, for the September episode of On the Air LIVE!

Wayne will demonstrate how to evaluate your HT radio’s performance using a low-cost Software Defined Radio (SDR) dongle, free SDR software, and free audio-editing software. While these tests won’t replace lab-grade equipment, they offer practical, inexpensive insights into your radio's output. Plus, you’ll learn how to identify CTCSS tones and DCS codes on the fly!

📅 Tuesday, September 22
🕗 8:00 PM Eastern
📍 Streaming Live on the ARRL Learning Center: learn.arrl.org/events

Bring your questions for the live Q&A. See you there!

09/20/2026

# # 📡 **Columbia Amateur Radio Club – Upcoming Events!**
We’ve got a full lineup of learning, fellowship, and fun ahead — mark your calendars and join us!

🎓 **Saturday, September 26 – Lunch & Learn**
Hands‑on demos with the new ARRL VE Testing Tablet, NanoVNA, and TinySA!
Mentors needed — come teach, learn, and enjoy lunch with fellow hams.

📅 **October 5 – Club Meeting**
Planning for the Christmas Party, Winter Field Day, and more.
Get updates, share ideas, and help shape upcoming events.

🔧 **October 24 – Fall Swap Fest**
Potter Community Park, Elgin SC
Buy, sell, and trade radios, antennas, and gear — fellowship and fun for all!

🎄 **December 7 – Christmas Gathering**
Little Pigs BBQ, Alpine Road, Columbia SC
Food, fellowship, and gift exchange — bring your holiday spirit!

🏃 **January 16, 2027 – Harbison 50K**
Volunteer with our radio support team for this major trail event.

❄️ **January 23, 2027 – Winter Field Day**
Camping, radio ops, and teamwork!
Reserve your spot early — plans are well underway.

🔗 **More details:** [w4cae.com](https://w4cae.com)
Stay tuned for updates at meetings and on the club calendar!

05/15/2026

**Building / Operating the Hardrock-50 Amplifier with the Icom IC-705 Interface? Pure magic.** 📻⚡
If you’re looking for the ultimate companion to your IC-705, this is absolutely it. The Hardrock-50 is an amazing kit to put together, and when you pair it with the dedicated 705 interface, the integration is seamless.

Having that automatic band tracking and T/R switching straight from the rig turns a fantastic QRP transceiver into a serious 50-watt powerhouse with zero fuss. Perfect for a clean shack setup or taking your portable ops to the next level. 🌲🚙

Highly recommend this build to anyone looking to add some extra punch to their 705!