Attention all new hams:

A new amateur radio net just for you!

Beginning January 7, 2021, the Antietam Radio Association will begin a new 2-meter amateur radio net aimed squarely at the newly licensed amateurs, or those who would like a fun, safe place to practice their amateur radio skills, while helping your fellow amateurs, too. The schedule may change, but currently this net will meet on the:

First and third Thursdays of each month at 20:00 (8PM) local time. On the first Thursday the meeting takes place on the 146.94 repeater, while the third Thursday of the month the net is held on the 147.09 repeater. This allows amateurs to check out the different repeaters, and to test which works best for their particular setup.  

The ARA "nets" page will soon by updaetd with the new net, as well as a few other resources, hopefully be the end of the weekend.  

Antietam Radio Association sponsored a special event station, W3HPM, from August 30 to September 3, 2020 to honor the 151st birthday of Hiram Percy Maxim.  Hiram Percy Maxim is buried at Rose Hill Cemetary, Hagerstown, MD

States (24) Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

The Antietam Radio Association of Hagerstown, MD is sponsoring a special event station, W3HPM, honoring Hiram Percy Maxim's 151st birthday.

W3HPM will be on the air August 29-30, and September 2, 2020 between 2:00 pm EDT and 9:00 pm EDT on the 20, 40, and 80 meter bands.  Operation will be voice with some CW.

Special event QSL cards will be available for your QSO and a SASE.  Send requests to Antietam Radio Association, PO Box 52, Hagerstown, MD  21741-0052.

Part V

September 1, 2020

Webex is again available. See credentials below

Event number (access code): 199 078 1734

Event password: 767X8Kie7Vv

Join the meeting

Part IV

Meeting OTA instead of in-person per unamous vote my attendees of June 16 OTA meeting. Webex will be available for this meeting. Credentials are below:

Event number (access code): 199 957 8643

Event password: 5tmUrWW9ZZ2

https://doilearn2.webex.com/doilearn2/onstage/g.php?MTID=e87c62065ad1409...

Part III

Update: During the June 2nd meeting the club voted as to whether or not to hold the next June 16 meeting in person, or to again hold it over the air as we have done for the past few months. The overall concensus was that we hold the meeting at St. John's in Gettysburg Hall, as is our regular practice. 

As time moved forward toward the 16th of June, the Executive Committee got together and re-thought our position on the earlier decision. We all admitted that we thought that the State and the virus would be further along. Maryland just entered Phase Two, so it was determined that we would certainly hit the maximum of 10 people during this meeting. We also thought about the future, and how high the attendance was during an OTA meeting in comparison to those meetings held in person. Usual attendance at an in-person meeting has been as low as a few people, to as high as about 30, with an average of about 18 attendees. In comparison, the attendance has not dropped below ~25y, and during the last two meetings almost hit 40!

A majority of the Executive Committee voted to hold the June 16 meeting OTA on the 146.94 repeater, PL 100. Karin (KB3GFV) also plans to hold a WEBEX session; credentials will be emailed to the membership, and posted on the website when available.

This news has been prominently posted to the ARA website, and we will soon send a similar message via an email blast. 

Part II

UPDATE: In response to concerns from several members that there are members who are unable to hit the repeater form their home QTH we are trying something a little different today. We understand that while not illegal, leaving the house to drive to a nearby location where hitting the repeater is possible may not be the best solution under these circumstances, so Karin Christenen (KB3GFV) will be hosting a Webex meeting for those who would like to join in. This is a first attempt at joining a Webex and OTA meeting. 

A good number of you may have already gotten an email invitation from "messenger@webex.com." This email provides you with all of the details required to join into the Webex meeting if you are not able to hit the repeater -- or just because.  You may also receive a general email from the ARA that includes the same details. We are not replacing the Over The Air (OTA) meeting with the Webex meeting. The Webex meeting is a BACKUP to the OTA meeting for those who are unable to hit the repeater. 

The OTA meeting will be held as scheduled: Tuesday, April 21, 20202 at 1900 EDT. Repeater 146.940, PL tones of 100.