Digital Operations

Experimentation

W4FSV

Breadboard Radio – Ham Radio Kits that are easy to build and fun to use!

KM4ACK

Build-a-Pi will allow you to get up and running fast with a Raspberry Pi for ham radio.

Emergency Communications

Voice Operations

Education

ARRL Special Service Club Award

Congratulations! The SSC status has been approved for the Columbia Amateur Radio Club, W4CAE.

Thank you for being so supportive of amateur radio.

Sincerely,
Mike Walters, W8ZY
Field Services Manager
ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®

Columbia Amateur Radio Club is now a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador!

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club is now a Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador.

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club is excited to collaborate with NOAA/NWS to help strengthen our nation’s readiness against extreme weather, water, and climate events. If you would like more information, please visit the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Frequently Asked Questions. And if you need any additional information, email WRN anytime at wrn.feedback@noaa.gov. You can also find WRN on X (previously Twitter) @WRNAmbassadors.

ARRL FIELD DAY 2025

Get Ready for the ARRL Digital Contest: A Celebration of Digital Communication in Amateur Radio

ARRL Digital Contest

June 7-8 2025

Amateur radio operators, enthusiasts, and tech lovers, it’s time to mark your calendars for the ARRL Digital Contest, an exciting event hosted by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Whether you’re a seasoned digital mode operator or a newcomer eager to dive into digital communications, this contest offers a unique opportunity to showcase your skills, connect with operators worldwide, and earn recognition in the ham radio community.

What Is the ARRL Digital Contest?

The ARRL Digital Contest is an annual competition designed to encourage the use of digital modes in amateur radio. Digital communication methods, including popular modes like FT8, PSK31, RTTY, and more, have become vital in ham radio. They allow operators to make contacts with minimal power, even under challenging propagation conditions, and the contest provides a platform for enthusiasts to challenge themselves and improve their digital mode proficiency.

Participants in the contest are tasked with making as many valid contacts as possible with other operators using digital modes, which can include short-range local exchanges and long-distance contacts across continents. The event is a great way to engage with a global community, exchange QSO information, and compete for awards and recognition.

(more…)

⛈️ Attention SKYWARN Spotters – Meet Your New Favorite Weather Tool: WeatherWise.app

WeatherWise

Whether you’re reporting severe weather in real time or keeping your community safe, the WeatherWise app is built to support SKYWARN members and weather-savvy users who need fast, reliable, hyper-local weather data anytime, anywhere.

(more…)
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January 2026 CARC Lunch & Learn

Join us for a CARC Lunch & Learn on January 10th 2026 hosted at Little Pigs BBQ from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM! This will be a relaxed, hands-on day focused on learning, experimenting, and sharing knowledge across all things amateur radio.

What to Expect

🔧 Elmer Help:
Bring your questions—big or small! Experienced Elmers will be available to help with anything and everything radio.

📡 Digital Modes Assistance:
Need help getting on the air digitally? We’ll have members ready to assist with setup and troubleshooting for:

  • DMR
  • D-Star
  • Yaesu Fusion
  • Hotspots
  • And other digital modes

🖨️ 3D Printing Demonstration:
Learn how 3D printing can enhance your ham projects—from enclosures to tools and custom accessories.

🔨 Show & Tell / Project Help:
Bring your radios, kits, in-progress builds, or puzzling problems. This is a great opportunity to share what you’re working on or get help overcoming challenges.

Food Information

As a thank-you for allowing us to use their smaller dining space, please be prepared to purchase lunch from Little Pigs BBQ during the event.

Please keep an eye on this post for updated information about the event.

Looking forward to a great day of learning and fellowship—see you there!

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/december-2025-carc-lunch-learn/

CARC 2025 Christmas Party Photos

Thanks to Caden W3DEA, Noah W7RPX and Don Taylor K4KGT for sharing the photos.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/carc-2025-christmas-party-photos/

CARC 2026 Board of Directors Election Results

Thank you to those who voted in person or by mail in ballot at the November 2025 club meeting. Below is a list of who was elected for the 2026 calendar year.

President- Jim Lathan W4JLP

Vice President- Paul Finan N4PRF

Treasurer- Amanda McKinnis K4ASM

Secretary- Wes Munn KJ4FIG

Director- Steve Ross W4LED, Noah Bergervin W7RPX (Two Year Term)

Trustee- Robert Bogan N2RB

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/carc-2026-board-of-directors-election-results/

Ham & Eggs In The Park October 2025

Special thanks to Phil KD4O for taking and sharing these great photos.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/ham-eggs-in-the-park-october-2025/

Columbia Amateur Radio Club – November 2025 Meeting

Join us for the November meeting of the Columbia Amateur Radio Club (CARC) on Monday, November 3, 2025, at our usual location — ETV Headquarters — and on Zoom for those who can’t attend in person.

This month’s meeting will feature club officer elections for the upcoming year. Your participation is important — come cast your vote and help shape the future direction of our club! See the website post below for more details on voting and absentee ballot requirements.

Following the elections, we’re excited to welcome a special Zoom presentation from the Long Island CW Club (LICW). The LICW is well-known for promoting Morse code training and camaraderie among hams worldwide. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn more about CW operations, training programs, and how you can get involved.

LICW Webpage

Please note the zoom meeting will not start till 7:30pm. Voting will take place in person from 7pm-7:30pm and then the LICW club will start to present at 7:30pm.

Meeting Details:

  • Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
  • Time: 7:00 PM
  • Location: ETV Headquarters (and via Zoom)
  • Topics: Club Officer Elections & Long Island CW Club Presentation

All members and guests are welcome. Whether you’re a seasoned operator or newly licensed, this is a meeting you won’t want to miss!

Zoom details-https://us05web.zoom.us/j/86149943593?pwd=N6jxm9D8kSGplYCgBnuT0Qq6buPaWu.1

Meeting ID: 861 4994 3593
Passcode: 802075

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/columbia-amateur-radio-club-november-2025-meeting/

📡 Columbia Amateur Radio Club Elections — November 3, 2025

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will hold its annual Club Officer Elections on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 7pm during our regular club meeting at ETV, 1101 George Rogers Blvd, Columbia, SC 29201. All members are encouraged to attend, participate, and help shape the future of our club.

If you’re unable to attend in person, mail-in ballots are accepted. Click HERE to download the pdf mail in ballot. Please follow these important steps to ensure your vote counts:

  • Place your completed ballot in a sealed envelope.
  • Sign your name across the glued flap on the back of the envelope.
  • Mail it to the Club P.O. Box before the election date. CARC PO Box 595 Columbia SC 29202
  • Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 10/29/25.

🗳️ Voting Eligibility Reminder:
To cast a ballot—whether in person or by mail—you must have your dues paid and be a member in good standing with the Columbia Amateur Radio Club.

Below is the current ballot. You are welcome to write in someone on the absentee ballot or in person during voting at the November 3 club meeting.

PositionNameCallIncumbent
PresidentJim LathanW4JLPYes
Vice PresidentPaul FinanN4PRFYes
TreasurerAmanda McKinnisK4ASMYes
Michael BlackburnKQ4DNM
SecretaryWes MunnKJ4FIGYes
Director (2 year term)Steve RossW4LEDYes
2 slots to be filledMichael BlackburnKQ4DNMYes
Noah BergervinW7RPX
TrusteeRobert BoganN2RBYes

Let’s make this year’s election a strong showing of member participation and club spirit. See you at ETV on November 3rd!

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/%f0%9f%93%a1-columbia-amateur-radio-club-elections-november-3-2025/

🥓🥚 CARC Ham & Eggs at Sesqui State Park – This Saturday!

📅 Date: Saturday, October 18
🕗 Time: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Sesquicentennial State Park, Columbia, SC at Shelter 2 by the Ball Field

Join the Columbia Amateur Radio Club (CARC) for a fun and relaxing day in the park at our Ham & Eggs outside gathering this Saturday!

We’ll kick off the day with a lite breakfast provided by the club, so come hungry and ready to enjoy food and great company.

Bring your ham radio gear, set up your portable station, and spend the day operating and experimenting in the field. Whether you’re a seasoned operator or new to the hobby, this is a fantastic opportunity to:

  • Test your portable setup
  • Participate in a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation
  • Get hands-on help and advice from friendly Elmers
  • Meet fellow hams and share ideas
  • Demonstrations:
    • MMDVM Hotspots Featuring DMR, D-Star, Fusion, and more
    • Allstar Nodes featuring Radioless, UHF, and VHF nodes
    • SSTV
    • Digital Modes featuring FT8, Keyboard to Keyboard Chatting/QSOs with JSCall, and VaraAC
    • QRP Radios and QSOs around the world
    • Alternative OPs featuring Meshtastic, Rattlegram, Zello, and Signal
    • Foxhunting – Getting Started

This is a casual, family-friendly event — come and go as you please throughout the day. Please watch this post for weather updates or new info as we get closer to Saturday.

Reminder also that if you have a SC State Park pass bring it with you. You will be responsible for the entry fee into the park. More info on the cost can be found here at-https://southcarolinaparks.com/sesqui

Please bring your own chairs and any other equipment you made need to operate.

Have questions? Join our CARC planning call Wednesday 10/15/25 at 7pm via google meet.
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/tsa-wgvn-hwv

We will be monitoring the CARC Simplex frequency (146.400) if you need directions for parking and finding the shelter.

📻 Let’s fill the airwaves from Sesqui and make some contacts!

73, Columbia Amateur Radio Club

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/%f0%9f%a5%93%f0%9f%a5%9a-carc-ham-eggs-at-sesqui-state-park-this-saturday/