EVARC Events/Announcements
January 11, 2026
Vol. 26, No. 02
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EVARC Upcoming Events/Announcements
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Next meeting of the Elkhorn Valley Amateur Radio ClubDate: Saturday,
February 14, 2026 Enter the North doors at the main entrance and follow the signs to
the 5/6th grade class rooms The December 13 meeting minutes are available Visitors and guests are always welcome to the meeting. |
Next Northeast Nebraska Hamfest - November 21, 2026The Northeast Nebraska Hamfest date was a success. Thanks t, everyone that attended this years event, D & L Antennas for supporting our Hamfest, to everyone that rented tables and to our sponsors that provided many of the door prizes.. And thanks to EVARC members for supporting the event and all the hard work that went into making everything work smoothly. Even the testing went well. We had 5 individuals take tests with the results being 1 new Tech, 3 new Generals, and 1 new Extra class license. Mark your calendars for next year, Saturday, November 21, 2026. For more information contact Aaron, KT0Q Hope to see you next year! |
Club Dues are due in JanuaryClub dues are due in January. Please send your dues to our club Secretary/Treasurer, Aaron, KT0Q. You can send them via mail or bring them to the next club meeting (January 10). It helps the club establish the annual budget if we get the dues early in the new year. The club address is: EVARC Dues are:
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Winter Field Day
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Pass The Bill - Have You Sent Your Letter Yet?
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACT GETS CRITICAL HEARING On Tuesday, December 16, the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (HR 1094) was one of seven bills heard before the Communications & Technology subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce. While there was no direct testimony related to this bill, its inclusion by subcommittee chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC-9th district) was an important step toward moving the bill to a hearing be- fore the full Energy & Commerce committee. HR1094 now has 22 sponsors. ARRL urges all currently li- censed Hams—whether ARRL members or not—to send letters to their two U.S. senators and their U.S. House representative using ARRL’s Grassroots Campaign by logging into the website: https://send-a-letter.org/hoa. Simply insert your callsign, and everything will be handled for you from there. Over 100,000 letters of support have been generated, but that represents a small fraction of all U.S. Hams. More are needed! Please encourage club members, other Hams and even GMRS licensees to send letters. |
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Other Information
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Midwest and Nebraska Section NewsThe Midwest Division news can be found on the ARRL Midwest Division web site. .The Division has held a series of town hall meeting on Zoom. Recordings of these sessions can be found on the website also. The latest Nebraska Sections news can be found on the Nebraska Section Facebook page or the ARRL Nebraska Section news web page. |
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Special Operating Events
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Test Sessions within 200 miles of
Norfolk, NE
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01/17/2026 - Kearney NE 68847 Sponsor: Midway ARC
Date: Jan 17 2026
Time: 8:00 AM (No Walk-ins / Register or Call ahead)
Contact: Michael J. Osterberg
(308) 293-0636
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Buffalo County EOC
1512 Central Ave
Kearney NE 68847-6020
Website: https://w0ky.org/
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01/24/2026 - Ames IA 50010 Sponsor: Story County ARC VE Team
Date: Jan 24 2026
Time: 10:00 AM (No Walk-ins / Register or Call ahead)
Contact: Claus H. Niesen
Email: [email protected]
VEC: LAUREL VEC
Location: Ames Public Library (Danfoss Room)
Register at Website
515 Douglas Ave
Ames IA 50010-6215
Website: https://hamstudy.org/sessions/amesia
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02/05/2026 - Lincoln NE 68506 Sponsor: Lincoln ARC
Date: Feb 05 2026
Time: 6:30 PM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Christopher W. Evens
(402) 613-3484
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: College View SDA Church
4801 Prescott Ave
Heartland Hall B
Enter E Ent #1 Handicap main
Lincoln NE 68506-5428
Website: https://k0kkv.org/get-your-license/
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02/14/2026 - Boone IA 50036 Sponsor: Boone Amateur Radio Klub
Date: Feb 14 2026
Time: 9:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Steven C. Huffman
(515) 230-0459
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Boone Pioneer Senior Center
1112 Story St
Boone IA 50036-2222
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02/14/2026 - Omaha NE 68114 Sponsor: AkSarBen Amateur Radio Club
Date: Feb 14 2026
Time: 1:00 PM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Michael J. Gallagher
(402) 661-9859
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Building
10629 Burt Cir
Omaha NE 68114-2059
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02/21/2026 - Huron SD Sponsor: Huron ARA, Inc.
Date: Feb 21 2026
Time: 9:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Lloyd V. Timperley
(605) 352-7896
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Huron City Hall (Boardroom)
239 Wisconsin Ave SW
Use South Door
Huron SD 57350-1915
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02/21/2026 - Kearney NE 68847 Sponsor: Midway ARC
Date: Feb 21 2026
Time: 8:00 AM (No Walk-ins / Register or Call ahead)
Contact: Michael J. Osterberg
(308) 293-0636
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Buffalo County EOC
1512 Central Ave
Kearney NE 68847-6020
Website: https://w0ky.org/
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02/21/2026 - Norfolk, NE Sponsor: Elkhorn Valley ARC
Date: Feb 21 2026
Time: 1:30 PM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: John L 'Monty'. Wilson
(402) 750-0771
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Norfolk Public Library
308 W Prospect Ave Rm B
Norfolk NE 68701-4138
Website: https://qsl.net/evarc/
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02/28/2026 - Perry IA Sponsor: Winter RF Fest
Date: Feb 28 2026
Time: 9:30 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Richard J. Allen
(515) 451-4148
Email: [email protected]
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: Perry National Guard Armory
2930 Willis Ave
Pre-reg @ 9AM
Handicapped Accessible
Perry IA 50220-9709
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For more testing locations see the ARRL Testing Web page and the W5YI-VEC page Interested in an Online Exams Session? See the Online Exam Session web page -... -.- |
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Hamfests/Conventions/Conferences
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As of: 01/11/2026 |
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02/13/2026 - Orlando HamCation, ARRO Southeastern Division convention Start Date: 02/13/2026
End Date: 02/15/2026
Location: Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park
4603 E. Colonial Dr.
Orlando, FL 32801
Website: http://www.hamcation.com
Sponsor: Orlando Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Convention
Talk-In: 146.76 -.600 103.5 tone
Public Contact: John Knott , N4JTK
3208 E. Colonial Dr.
PMB 168
Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: 407-841-0874
Email: [email protected]
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02/28/2026 - HARC Winter RF Fest, Perry, IA 50220 Start Date: 02/28/2026
End Date: 02/28/2026
Location: National Guard Armory
2930 Willis Avenue
Perry, IA 50220
Website: http://harciowa.org
Sponsor: Hiawatha Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 145.190 (-) 114.8 tone
Public Contact: Robert Colling , KE0STT
707 Prairie St.
Guthrie Center, IA 50115
Phone: 641-740-7526
Email: [email protected]
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03/07/2026 - Southwest Iowa ARC Hamfest Start Date: 03/07/2026
End Date: 03/07/2026
Location: McClelland Town Hall
117 Main Street
McClelland, IA
Website: https://swiradio.org
Sponsor: Southwest Iowa ARC
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 442.225 136.5
Public Contact: Derek Roberts , W0TYG
PO Box 327
Minden, IA 51553
Phone: 402-431-2377
Email: [email protected]
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04/25/2026 - Des Moines IA 50301 - Radio Amateurs Association Hamfest Start Date: 04/25/2026
End Date: 04/25/2026
Location: Iowa State Fairgrounds Elwell Family Food Center
3000 E. Grand
Des Moines, IA 50301
Website: https://dmraa.com/hamfest
Sponsor: Des Moines Radio Amateurs Association
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 146.940- 114.8
Public Contact: Dean Madsen , N0XR
2013 E. 23rd St.
Des Moines, IA 50317
Phone: 515-770-7437
Email: [email protected]
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05/15/2026 - Dayton Hamvention 2026 Start Date: 05/15/2026
End Date: 05/17/2026
Location: Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia, Ohio 45385
Website: https://hamvention.org/
Sponsor: Dayton Amateur Radio Association
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 146.94 - PL 123.0
Public Contact: https://hamvention.org/contact-us/
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07/11/2026 - 28th Annual Pioneer ARC Flea Market Start Date: 07/11/2026
End Date: 07/11/2026
Location: North Bend City Auditorium
741 North Main Street
North Bend, NE 68649
Website: http://k0sw.org
Sponsor: Pioneer Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 443.900 +5 MHz
Public Contact: Richard Mehaffey , KB0ARZ
230 West 11th Street
North Bend, NE 68649
Phone: 492-719-7342
Email: [email protected]
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10/10/2026 - North Star Radio Convention, ARRL Dakota Division Convention Start Date: 10/10/2026
End Date: 10/10/2026
Location: Hennepin Technical College
9000 Brooklyn Blvd.
Brooklyn Park, MN
Website: http://northstarradio.org
Sponsor: Minnesota Amateur Radio Consortium
Type: ARRL Convention
Talk-In: 146.76 114.8 tone
Public Contact: Dale Henninger , W0DHZ
8579 Brewster Ave
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076-3518
Phone: 612-747-7587
Email: [email protected]
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11/21/2026 - Northeast Nebraska Hamfest, Norfolk, NE 68701 Start Date: 11/21/2025
End Date: 11/21/2025
Location: CHC Hall
105 West Elm Avenue
Norfolk, NE 68701
Website: https://www.qsl.net/evarc
Sponsor: Elkhorn Valley Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 146.73 (-) 131.8
Public Contact: Aaron Mathis , KT0Q
84282 566th Ave.
Stanton, NE 68779
Phone: 802-989-9246
Email: mailto:[email protected]
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For a complete listing of Hamfests go to the ARRL Hamfest Search page -... -.- |
News From the ARRL Letters |
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Join ARRL in Celebrating America’s 250th – On the Air!In 2026, ARRL is commemorating America’s 250th birthday with a yearlong on-the-air celebration: the America250 Worked All States (WAS) Award. Running from January 1 through December 31, this special operating event challenges amateurs of all license classes to contact all 50 US states and confirm those QSOs via ARRL’s Logbook of The World (LoTW). Modeled after the classic WAS Award, America250 WAS encourages activity across nearly every band — from LF through microwaves — and on CW, phone, and digital, culminating in a commemorative, frame-worthy WAS certificate. Participants can pursue America250 WAS in many ways, with endorsements recognizing achievements by band, by mode, Triple Play (all three modes), by satellite, by contacting ARRL Affiliated Club Stations in all 50 states, and by contacting W1AW/portable in all 50 states. Throughout 2026, the iconic W1AW call sign will be “loaned” to stations nationwide, activating each state twice during the year. All confirmations are handled through LoTW, making it easy to track progress and apply for awards and endorsements. ARRL members can read all the details in the Jan/Feb 2026 issue of On the Air magazine.
Look for the following W1AW/portable activations. Operations begin 0000z on Wednesday, and end on 2359z Tuesday (7 days total for each activation). See the complete schedule at www.arrl.org/america250-was. W1AW Portable Schedule – America250 Worked All States
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Are We Prepared?From the January 2026 NTS Newsletter James Wades, WB8SIW Are you really prepared? During the “Basic Voice Communications Procedures” class conducted by Radio Relay International, we ask students to engage in a simple exercise. While traveling out of town, check into an ARES® or similar local EmComm net. Transmit your call sign slowly and carefully, using the standard ITU phonetic alphabet. Then wait to see if the NCS gets it right! During 25 years of business travel, I conducted this experiment many times. In 95 percent or more cases, the typical NCS couldn’t transcribe my call sign correctly despite two or three attempts. In many cases, the net sounded like a well-oiled machine, with stations checking in and being acknowledged without error - until a strange call sign appeared. Now imagine that same NCS during an ARES® net operating under the stress of emergency conditions in which important messages are being conveyed on behalf of a served agency. Perhaps a request for medical supplies is being transmitted or someone is reporting the release of a hazardous chemical. If an ARES operator can’t copy an unfamiliar call sign, will he or she be able to accurately transcribe and deliver a message containing a term such as “acute subdural hematoma” or “ethylene oxide?” The example of the volunteer fire company applies well here. When you dial 9-1-1 to report a fire, you have a reasonable expectation that the firefighters arriving on scene have been trained. They should know how to ventilate the structure, attack the fire, operate the apparatus, or extricate victims, even if they are unpaid volunteers. Likewise, when radio amateurs offer their “emergency communications” services to an agency, the agency has a similar expectation that those assisting have been trained in basic communications procedures and protocols. Learning to convey tactical or record message traffic is an essential skill. It is NOT enough to simply establish connectivity. One must be able to communicate accurately and efficiently, keep a concise radio log, transcribe information without error, and perform the basic administrative functions required of a message center or EOC. This is why participation in traffic nets is so important. Traffic nets are the only place where one can check into a net any day of the week at your convenience and practice sending and receiving messages using standard prowords, proper ITU phonetic alphabet, and concise procedures. Some dismiss traffic handling because they see the content of routine messages as “unimportant,” but they are missing the point. The real value proposition is in the practice of transmitting variable message content. Every address is different. Network management data varies from message to message. One must transmit the message at a pace that allows transcription by the receiving operator. Likewise, the receiving operator must be able to understand exactly what is being transmitted. These same skills are also essential to an efficient emergency communications process, whether the content being conveyed is tactical in nature or served agency messages intended for delivery to an emergency services official. Let’s be honest! Many EmComm volunteers are not prepared to handle important agency traffic. They have little training in the mechanics of message handling and too few participate in traffic nets. For the first time in many years, we are beginning to see real cooperation between NTS and ARES. This cooperation isn’t just “nice,” it’s essential. Every EmComm volunteer should practice handling traffic because establishing connectivity is only a small piece of the overall communications process. The time has come to bridge the gap between traffic operations and local EmComm. Let’s work together to the benefit of the Amateur Radio Service and our communities. -... -.- |
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In Brief...ARRL Solar Report January 8, 2026
Multiple faint coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed off the SE limb originating from Region 4334. However, modeling appeared to show no Earth-directed component. Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance (45%) for M-class flares (R1-R2, minor-moderate), and a slight chance (10%) for isolated X-class flares (R3-strong) between January 8 – 10. Solar wind parameters became mildly enhanced after January 7. These conditions are expected to continue on January 8. A further enhancement is expected early on January 9 with the arrival of a coronal hole high speed stream (CH/HSS) and possible influences from a January 6 CME. Solar wind speeds in excess of 600 km/s are likely, based on recurrent values. HSS influence is expected to persist through January 10. The 10.7-centimeter flux: January 8, 140; January 9 - 10, 135; January 11, 130; January 12 -13, 135; January 14, 140. Predicted sunspots: January 8, 123; January 9, 118; January 10, 130; January 11, 114; January 12, 135; January 13, 110; January 14, 141. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read A Quick Guide to HF Propagation Using Solar Indices, and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.. Other Items
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Education and Training
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CLOSING ITEMSThe EVARC weekly net meets every Monday evening at 7:30 PM on the club 2 meter repeater (146.73 - ). Check-in to the net to hear an update on activities of other club members, announcements of local interest, and any late breaking information. Everyone is welcome to check in. The DMR net meets every Thursday evening at 8:00 PM on the club DMR repeater (446.200 +) Nebraska Talk Group 3131 . Check-in for general discussion and a weekly trivia question. Want to try your hand as Net Control? Contact Andy, KF0CSI. ... -.- |
The purpose of this
newsletter is to provide information to local hams with items of interest.
It is compiled from local, regional, and national sources. Created by Monty Wilson, NRØA.
Contact the Webmaster with
comments or questions..
Solar
activity continued at low levels this past week. The largest flare
was a C7.4/Sf on December 6 from Region 4334. Slight growth and
separation was observed in this region. Growth and increased
magnetic complexity was observed in Region 4336. New Region 4337 was
numbered. 