The Best Amateur Radio Club in Florida

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World Amateur Radio Day!

World Amateur Radio Day, held on April 18 each year, is celebrated worldwide by radio amateurs and their national associations which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president. A major theme for 2025 is celebrating 100 years of IARU.

 

WARD is Friday, April 18, 2025, at 0000 UTC until Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 0000 UTC

 

This Event page will be updated as we have more details, and we hope to see you and your friends and family down at the Clubhouse!

 

17 First St SE Fwb Fl

 

*ANNOUNCEMENT *

 

FOX HUNT!!!

 

There will be a foxhunt at 10am Saturday April 19th! Following the foxhunt at noon, there will be a BBQ at the Playground Amateur Radio Club Clubhouse! Successful hunters will receive a ticket for free lunch and 1 free entry into the Split-the-pot 50/50 raffle!

 

Here’s what you need to know:

 

Start @10am

Fort Walton Beach area

Open to the public, bring a friend!

BBQ @12pm at 17 First St SE FWB

Plates are $5 for burgers, brats or dogs, chips and a drink

 

50/50 Split-the-pot $2/ticket

Fox frequency 145.300

 

WARD Open House operations will continue until 7pm, come join the fun!

World Amateur Radio Day! 18 – 19 April 2025 @ PARC Clubhouse

World Amateur Radio Day is coming to PARC with an open house!

2025 World Amateur Radio Day is April 18/19

17 First St SE, Fort Walton Beach Florida 32548

Open from 1900 Fri 18 April to 1900 Sat 19 Apr 2025

What: Ham Radio Open House for World Amateur Radio Day 2025

Who: All amateur radio operators worldwide

When: WARD is Friday, April 18, 2025, at 0000 UTC until Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 0000 UTC but the Ham Radio Open House can be held any time in April, as works best for your local club.

Where: A global event covering all regions of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)

Why: World Amateur Radio Day, held on April 18 each year, is celebrated worldwide by radio amateurs and their national associations which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president. A major theme for 2025 is celebrating 100 years of IARU.

How: 

Get Ready for “Ham Radio Open House” for World Amateur Radio Day 2025

To help promote amateur radio science and technology, and to honor the 100th anniversary of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), ARRL is inviting radio clubs and schools to organize a Ham Radio Open House in April, centered around World Amateur Radio Day on April 18, 2025. The event is intended to highlight the Amateur Radio Service for its development and practice of the latest radio communications and technology, and as a hands-on pathway into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for the next generation. In April 2025, amateur radio clubs, school stations, and other groups will have the opportunity to advance public knowledge about ham radio by welcoming their communities into their stations for the Ham Radio Open House, around World Amateur Radio Day. The focus will be on scientific advancement and demonstrating cutting-edge technology. This is a chance to not only shape the conversation about modern ham radio but also to show how it serves as a steppingstone and testbed for many young people pursing future STEM education and high-tech careers.

One Million Acts of Science

ARRL has teamed up with HamSCI — Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation — and the science community organization SciStarter to invite the public to participate in One Million Acts of Science during April, which is Citizen Science Month. By hosting a Ham Radio Open House at your group’s station in April, you’ll introduce individuals who might never otherwise find out about today’s amateur radio where science and technology intersect with fun and learning. Clubs are encouraged to showcase the latest weak-signal modes, such as FT8 using WSJT-X or other digital modes. This could be a great opportunity to explore new areas of amateur radio and demonstrate how the service is at the cutting edge of electrical engineering.

HamSCI and SciStarter Collaborations

HamSCI (hamsci.org) has built a community by connecting radio amateurs and citizen scientists in ionospheric research. The Solar Eclipse QSO Parties held during the 2023 annular eclipse and the 2024 total solar eclipse provided significant data for researchers studying the ionosphere’s response to the eclipses, wrapped into fun operating events.   SciStarter is working to engage people from all walks of life in one million acts of science during Citizen Science Month in April (scistarter.org/citizensciencemonth), to promote public participation in scientific research. ARRL’s Ham Radio Open House provides a unique opportunity to help achieve that goal.

Imagine your open house visitors seeing a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) waterfall display and then hearing what the signal they see on the screen sounds like—that’s an act of science! Taking it a step further, let them take a Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) measurement of an antenna, modify it slightly, and take another reading. They’ve just gathered data, made a physical change, and measured the impact of their modifications. Not only is that an additional act of science, but it’s also a great way to engage people in hands-on learning about ham radio. With this kind of involvement, visitors will be more likely to return for a club meeting or participate in future events. Clubs will be asked to track those acts of science and submit a report to ARRL detailing the number of acts and the total number of visitors.

Amateur radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short-wave spectrum could support long-distance radio signal propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, amateur radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to promote the interests of amateur radio worldwide and to protect and enhance its spectrum privileges. Today, the IARU is a federation consisting of more than 160 national amateur radio organizations in as many countries and separate territories. The International Secretariat of the IARU is ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® in the United States.

On World Amateur Radio Day, all radio amateurs are invited to take to the airwaves to enjoy our global friendship with other amateurs, and to show our skills and capabilities to the public.

World Amateur Radio Day is not a contest but rather an opportunity to “talk” about the value of amateur radio to the public and our fellow amateur colleagues. It is also a great opportunity to talk about your radio club and amateur radio in local media as a lead-up to ARRL Field Day (held each year during the fourth full weekend in June) and another ham radio related activity in your community – such as volunteers who serve in local emergency communication readiness including the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service®.

Here are just a few ways to participate in, and promote, World Amateur Radio Day:

  • Get a station on the air! Create your own personal “event” to talk about amateur radio to others, including family and friends.
  • Find out more about World Amateur Radio Day by checking the IARU website and other Resources listed below.
  • Create and hold a special net or on-air event on World Amateur Radio Day to raise the level of attention for the celebration, and to encourage other hams to talk about our hobby. Consider creating and offering a commemorative certificate for contacting your special activation. It can be an electronic one as these are cost effective.
  • Get the word out! If you are an ARRL Public Information Coordinator, Public Information Officer, or responsible for radio club publicity, send a press release and conduct some public relations outreach to highlight the day and/or events. Talk about all of the activities radio amateurs have continued to support during the pandemic, and how amateur radio serves our communities. Find recent examples of amateur radio in-the-news at www.arrl.org/media-hits.
  • Promote your personal World Amateur Radio Day activity(ies) on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag #WorldAmateurRadioDay. Make sure you send it to various clubs, reflectors, and media.

Join us in celebrating World Amateur Radio Day and all the ways amateur radio brings us together!

 

No Pile-Up on Easter, April 20, 2025

Team PARC,

We hope everyone is doing well. Next Sunday is Easter. We do not often cancel the Pile-Up on Sundays but as next Sunday, April 20 is Easter, we are taking a small break! be sure to check the Club Calendar for when we will be around at events or at the Clubhouse!
Playground Amateur Radio Club
W4ZBB/K4FWB

Panama City FL ARC Tailgate!

Road trip again! This time we headed East and stopped in Panama City with the invaluable team from the Panama City ARC as they hosted their Tailgate! What a great event and fun day in the sun as we all came across deals to be had and partook in cool refreshments! If you haven’t visited the PCARC, YOU are missing out on some great Hams and wonderful hospitality! If you are ever in their neck of the woods, take a moment and visit with them! You will not be disappointed!

It’s Hamfest, Tailgate, & Swapmeet Season!!!

What the What What?!!! You read that tagline correct! 

Listen, we all love the routine events that we do with meetings, tech nights, Club improvement schedules, local and area events aiding the public, but WHAT, is one thing we love more than all the rest besides the DX?! Hamfests, Tailgates, & Swapmeets!

Hamfests, Tailgates, & Swapmeets offer us a chance to travel to areas not normally visited and meet people from all walks of life that enjoy the love of radio communications! They may be developed around the chance to buy, sell, swap or trade the day away, but the events are more geared toward the social aspect and interaction. Besides, you can’t sell a pancake to a steakhouse (ok yes you can and I have done it! (True story. The year was 1998 and I was in New Orleans [rabbit trail, saved for a later date])). Anyhow, Relaxed atmospheres bring people in! A warm cup of joe or a cool lemonade and sometimes a good ‘ol fashioned BBQ keeps them around. Not that all Hamfests and Tailgates have food but don’t base it on that! I have met some of the most ingenious Hams at events such as Hamfests and Tailgates!

Ideas of how to do things are vastly different depending upon the area you are in or go to! Be open to people that do something you do in a different way! The experiments others are performing can and will inspire you and your way of transmitting and receiving! Inspiration can come in all forms and why not go visit an area outside of your spectrum! Events come and go and we sure like to make the ones we can! Coming up this weekend on April the 12th is the Panama City Florida Tailgate at 130 N Church Ave in Panama City Florida! Some of us have attended this event in years past and we are always impressed with their welcoming nature and innovation! If you have a list of gear your are looking for will you find it here? Maybe, maybe not, and that’s just the chance you take when making things work! You will also gain knowledge and learn! ~ Plus you might make a few new contacts or put the face to a callsign! This event runs from 0900 – 1300 with lunch served around 1200! Click the “this Event link above to read the PCARC’s webpage with all of the information! Talk-in Frequency: W4RYZ Repeater, 145.210MHz PL 100Hz

So load up fellow operators and radio enthusiasts! Because we are hitting the road and heading East to visit those that have in turn visited us and paid us just as much homage as we are dishing out! Support in the Amateur Radio Community is paramount for the hobby’s longevity! Be a part of it, promote it, encourage development, and foster a positive relationship over the air, and in person! We will see you there!

Want to know where and when PARC plans to have it’s members? Check out the Playground Amateur Radio Club Calendar!

Not in our immediate area (or maybe you are) but want to know how to find a Hamfest, Tailgate, or Swapmeet?! Click this and search your area or search nationally! Be sure to check it regularly as additions are constantly published!

-.– — ..- / -.- -. — .– / -.– — ..- / .– .- -. – / – — / -… . / – …. . .-. . / … — / –. . – / .. -. / – …. . / -.-. .- .-. –..– / – .-. ..- -.-. -.- –..– / — .-. / …- .- -. / .- -. -.. / — .- -.- . / -.– — ..- .-. / .– .- -.– / – — / .-. . .–. .-. . … . -. – / .- — .- – . ..- .-. / .-. .- -.. .. — -.-.–

 

 

 

No Rain Delay!

Today’s Sunday Funday brough the PARC Team together inside the clubhouse! While there were multiple projects going on to advance the capabilities of the Playground amateur Radio Club, more space was renovated and repurposed to allow for a more professional look in the operators shack and in the meeting room!

The team added new computer desks supplied from donations of members who want to see more upgrades take place and increase the clubs functionality! This includes 3 of four computer stations upgraded! A radio programming center for all of the great things we do to teach users of various types of radios how to program them with the computer and manually! Another station was added to allow the exceptionally busy Activities Director dedicated space to work, plan, organize, and distribute information of events and efforts the Playground has, is, and will be taking on! They also added space for station 3! Station 3 is special because it is the future spot of another full time operating station to DX, CQ, and QSL the day and night away! What an improvement! Be sure to see it when you visit the Playground Amateur Radio Club!

 

P.S. – Looks like we wore out KM4DYA!

Playground Pile-Ups are packed with action!

The sign is back! Thanks to Flamingo Graphics on Hollywood Blvd in Fort Walton Beach for redoing this! Hanging the sign is Mike, Bill, Shane and others! It sure brings us great joy to have it back in full color!

Did you know the Playground Amateur Radio Club has WIRES-X, LOG#4OM, WSJTX with JS8 Call? Mark has been busy each weekend and during certain weeks enhancing out digital status on station 2 in the Clubhouse!

WIRES-X freq is 146.400 under the call AA0EU, room 091172 node 01172.

The rest is call W4ZBB!

Multiple other projects were going on with wire trouble shooting with Tony and radio programming with DJ and Steve! Guess what else, a tour of the attic to see about removing old RG8 to allow for more room through the connection point to enhance the signal coverage of WIRES-X!

Queenie started planning for our Annual Swampfest on Nov 15 2025! You are not going to want to miss that!

All this and more at the best Amateur Radio Club in Florida!

Join PARC!

We are in the last days of the grace period for your dues! If you are not a member, YOU want to be! Join PARC today and you will not be disappointed in your choice!

Thank You for Attending!

A very heartfelt recognition goes out to all! Vendors, Patrons, Guests, Visitors, Support Staff, Members, Volunteers, and all who made the Playground Hamfest successful! We cannot engage with the community the way we do without your support and dedication!

It’s HAMFEST Week!

Do you need to test?! We got you!

Are you hungry?! We got you!

Do you want to buy, swap, trade, sell, or barter Ham gear and more?! We got You!

Come one, come all to the 55th Annual Playground ARC Hamfest!

1958 Lewis Turner Blvd Fort Walton Beach Florida
Friday 3pm to 6pm
Saturday 8am to 1pm
Vendors set up Friday starting 8am. No public show until 3pm.
Vendors set up Saturday 6am. No public show until 8am.
The show closes at 1pm.
We offer:
Testing, must pre-register must have FRN (Federal Registration Number)
PARCFWB@GMAIL.COM
Testing will be at 10:00 AM CST
Indoor Booths
Food Concessions
National Vendors
Local Ham Radio Dealers
Area Club Tables
ARRL Representatives
Camping
Rv’s Welcome
Reserve your tables and spots: PARCFWB@GMAIL.COM
$8.00 admission
$15.00 per table/spot
Boy Scouts in Uniform Free
12 and Under Free
90 and Above Free
Contact Information: PARCFWB@GMAIL.COM,
or the NWFL Hamfest Hotline at 850-359-9186.
All voicemails will be returned if no answer.

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