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

Get Ready for the Big One: ARRL Field Day 2026!

Mark your calendars! The most anticipated event in amateur radio is just around the corner. ARRL Field Day 2026 is officially set for the fourth full weekend in June: June 27–28, 2026.

Whether you are a seasoned contester, a digital mode enthusiast, or a brand-new ham looking to make your first contact, Field Day is the ultimate “open house” for our hobby. It’s part emergency exercise, part contest, and 100% community.

The 2026 Message: “Resilience Through Connection”

Every year, Field Day reminds us why we do what we do. In an era where communication is often taken for granted, the 2026 focus remains clear: Science, Skill, and Service.

The goal isn’t just to rack up points; it’s to prove that when the grid goes down, and the “normal” world goes quiet, amateur radio operators are ready. This year, we are placing a special emphasis on:

  • Emergency Preparedness: Testing our gear in “less-than-optimal” conditions.
  • Technical Growth: Experimenting with new antennas, solar power, and portable deployments.
  • Public Outreach: Showing our neighbors that ham radio is a modern, vital resource for the community.

Call to Action: Start Planning NOW!

A successful Field Day doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of teamwork and early preparation. We are calling on all club members to step up and help make 2026 our best year yet.

Here is how you can jump in right now:

  1. Join a Committee: We need leads for Site Selection, Antenna Safety, Food/Logistics, and Public Relations.
  2. Inventory Your Gear: Dust off those portable rigs, check your battery health, and inspect your coax. Don’t wait until June 26th to find a blown fuse!
  3. The GOTA Station: We need “coaches” for our Get On The Air station. If you enjoy mentoring new hams or curious visitors, this is your time to shine.
  4. Bonus Point Hunting: From satellite contacts to copying the W1AW bulletin, there are dozens of ways to boost our club score. Who wants to take the lead on the Section Manager message this year?

Event Details at a Glance:

  • When: June 27 (1800 UTC) to June 28 (2059 UTC)
  • Where: TBD – will update as soon as possible
  • Objective: To contact as many stations as possible and learn to operate in abnormal situations.

Let’s show the world what we can do! Check your email for the next planning meeting date, or reach out to the Club President to volunteer for a specific role.

W4CAE in Your Pocket: Setting Up AllStar on Your Smartphone

“Did you know your smartphone can double as a powerful handheld transceiver? Whether you’re away from your shack or out of range of a local repeater, the AllStar Link network keeps you connected. This guide walks you through the essential steps to get your mobile device configured for AllStar—from obtaining your mandatory FCC documentation to…

(more…)

Field Day 2026: The Year of the Club!

Join W4CAE for Field Day 2026: The Year of the Club!

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club (W4CAE) invites all hams and enthusiasts to join us for ARRL Field Day 2026 at Sesquicentennial State Park! Starting June 27th at 8:00 AM, we’ll be operating through the night until noon on Sunday.

As part of the ARRL Year of the Club, we are celebrating the local groups that serve as the backbone of our hobby. Come out to the primitive camping area for portable stations, person-to-person QSOs, and on-site VE Testing.

Dinner is on us! We’ll be serving up a catered BBQ spread on Saturday evening—because great radio work deserves great food.

Stay Informed: It is crucial to join all planning calls, attend our May and June Club meetings, and join the Hams and Eggs Breakfasts. For the latest updates, keep a close watch on https://www.W4CAE.com and our Facebook page.

We have plenty of room for visiting groups and individual operators. See you there!

More details to come!

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“UPDATE” May the 4th Be with You! Columbia Amateur Radio Club Monthly meeting

📡 What is Meshtastic? Join us for our May Monthly Meeting!

Get ready to level up your emergency comms! This month, the Columbia Amateur Radio Club is thrilled to host a special guest and a topic that’s been taking the radio world by storm.

Whether you’re a seasoned ham or just curious about off-grid tech, you won’t want to miss this.

🎤 Special Presentation:

“What is Meshtastic? Off-Grid Messaging for Disaster Response” Presented by: Bob Beasley

Bob will be walking us through how Meshtastic uses low-cost LoRa hardware to create a resilient, long-range mesh network—perfect for keeping your community connected when the grid goes down.

There will be 2 drawings for a SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E, must be present to win.

SenseCAP T1000-E is a high-performance tracker designed for Meshtastic. As small as a credit card, effortlessly fitting in your pocket or attaching to your assets. It embeds Semtech’s LR1110, Nordic’s nRF52840, and Mediatek’s AG3335 GPS module, providing Meshtastic users with a high-precision, low-power positioning and communication solution.

🗓️ When & Where:

  • Date: Monday, May 4th
  • Time: 7:00 PM
  • Location: 1101 George Rogers Blvd, Columbia, SC 29201

Why come?

  • Learn: Discover how to set up your own off-grid nodes.
  • Connect: Meet up with fellow enthusiasts and club members.
  • Prepare: See real-world disaster-response applications right here in South Carolina.

This meeting is open to everyone! Bring a friend, bring your questions, and let’s talk tech. We can’t wait to see you there!

#Meshtastic #W4CAE #HamRadio #ColumbiaSC #EmergencyComms #OffGrid #AmateurRadio

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/may-the-4th-be-with-you-columbia-amateur-radio-club-monthly-meeting/

Field Day 2026: The Year of the Club!

Join W4CAE for Field Day 2026: The Year of the Club!

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club (W4CAE) invites all hams and enthusiasts to join us for ARRL Field Day 2026 at Sesquicentennial State Park! Starting June 27th at 8:00 AM, we’ll be operating through the night until noon on Sunday.

As part of the ARRL Year of the Club, we are celebrating the local groups that serve as the backbone of our hobby. Come out to the primitive camping area for portable stations, person-to-person QSOs, and on-site VE Testing.

Dinner is on us! We’ll be serving up a catered BBQ spread on Saturday evening—because great radio work deserves great food.

Stay Informed: It is crucial to join all planning calls, attend our May and June Club meetings, and join the Hams and Eggs Breakfasts. For the latest updates, keep a close watch on https://www.W4CAE.com and our Facebook page.

We have plenty of room for visiting groups and individual operators. See you there!

More details to come!

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/field-day-2026-the-year-of-the-club/

📢 Attention All Hams! Big News for this Friday Night! 🎙️

Looking to kick off your weekend with some great conversation? The Friday Night TGIF Net is happening tomorrow, April 3rd, 2026, at 8:30 PM, and we’re making it easier than ever to join the fun!

🌍 How to Connect

Whether you’re a DMR pro or strictly an analog operator, we’ve got you covered:

  • DMR Users: Tune in to the TGIF Network on Talk Group 31665.
  • Analog/2M Users: For this week only, the Columbia Amateur Radio Club is linking the 147.330 repeater directly to the net via Allstar!

🚀 No DMR? No Problem!

Thanks to the Allstar link, you can participate in the TGIF Net using your standard 2M radio. You get the reach of digital with the simplicity of analog—no codeplugs or hotspots required. Just tune your radio to 147.330 and join the conversation.

Net Start: Friday, April 3rd @ 8:30 PM Analog Access: 147.330 Repeater Digital Access: TGIF Talk Group 31665

Dust off the mic, grab a cold drink, and help us make some noise on the airwaves! 📻✨

#HamRadio #AmateurRadio #TGIFNet #CARC #W4CAE #DMR #Allstar #FridayNightNet #ColumbiaSC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/%f0%9f%93%a2-attention-all-hams-big-news-for-this-friday-night-%f0%9f%8e%99%ef%b8%8f/

CANCELED-CARC Lunch & Learn – May 9th, 2026 at Little Pigs BBQ-CANCELED

Join us for the CARC Lunch & Learn on May 9th, 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
  • And other digital modes

🔨 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.

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

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/carc-lunch-learn-may-9th-2026-at-little-pigs-bbq/

Columbia Amateur Radio Club – April 2026 Meeting

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club (CARC) invites all members and guests to join us for our April Monthly Meeting!

📅 Date: April 6, 2026
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: SC ETV Building
1101 George Rogers Blvd
Columbia, SC 29201

Can’t join us in perosn?

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89467637228?pwd=V5a40D4GLjkWpPrsCcrATukcT8wzFt.1

Meeting ID: 894 6763 7228
Passcode: 835928

📡 Spring Swap Fest Night!

This month’s meeting will feature our Spring Swap Fest, a great opportunity to buy, sell, and trade all things ham radio.

Bring your:

  • Radios
  • Accessories
  • Antennas
  • Parts and equipment
  • Any ham radio–related items you’d like to sell or trade

Whether you’re looking to clear out your shack, upgrade your gear, or find a great deal, this is the perfect chance to connect with fellow hams and share the hobby.

Some radio items will be sold directly by the club. See the google sheet below to view what is for sale, info and price.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11okhEQAeaHIx7gLLXJ312pMwk1BEokjX-1Bk3ur4Aig/edit?usp=sharing

🤝 All Are Welcome

As always, visitors, new hams, and anyone interested in amateur radio are welcome to attend. Come out, meet the group, and enjoy an evening of radio fellowship and fun!

We look forward to seeing you there!

73, CARC

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/columbia-amateur-radio-club-april-2026-meeting/

W4CAE in Your Pocket: Setting Up AllStar on Your Smartphone

“Did you know your smartphone can double as a powerful handheld transceiver? Whether you’re away from your shack or out of range of a local repeater, the AllStar Link network keeps you connected. This guide walks you through the essential steps to get your mobile device configured for AllStar—from obtaining your mandatory FCC documentation to…

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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/w4cae-in-your-pocket-setting-up-allstar-on-your-smartphone/

CARC Hams Hangout- 3/21/26, 10:30 am at Sesqi State Park

Calling all Hams, Preppers, Techies, and Radio-Curious!

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club is heading to the pines for a Ham Hangout at beautiful Sesquicentennial State Park! Whether you’ve been licensed for 40 years or have never even touched a radio, this event is for YOU.

What’s the vibe?

Think “Science Lab meets Backyard BBQ.” We’re setting up portable stations, firing up the grill, and showing off what modern radio can really do.

What to expect:

GOTA Station (Get On The Air): Want to try making a contact? Our mentors will walk you through it—no license required to try it out!

Off-Grid Messaging: See Meshtastic (mesh texting), Winlink (email over radio), and FT8 in action.

Emergency Power: Check out solar panels, LiFePO4 battery setups, and field-ready gear.

Family Comms: Demos of GMRS, FRS, and Zello for staying connected when cell towers fail.

Food & Fellowship

We’ll have the grill hot and the antennas high. Bring a lawn chair, your family, and all your “how does that work?” questions.

When: March 21, 2026, 10:30 am to 8 PM
Where: Sesquicentennial State Park
Who: Licensed Hams, FRS/GMRS/MURS users, makers and tech enthusiasts, families, and friends!

Let’s build community, share some “Elmering” (mentoring), and enjoy the great outdoors together.

#HamRadio #W4CAE #ColumbiaSC #POTA #Meshtastic #EmergencyPrep #AmateurRadio #SesquiStatePark 

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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/carc-hams-hangout-3-21-26-9am-at-sesqi-state-park/