PARC | Ham Radio

The Best Amateur Radio Club in Florida

Category: Community Page 4 of 17

A Great Time at Mobile!

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On April 19, 2026

In Community, Events, Excitement!, Hamfest/Tailgate!, Pile-Up

Some of Team PARC assembled to gather in Mobile at their Hamfest and boy howdy what a great time! We took time to sell, swap, trade, barter, see friends, make new ones, and experience the joy of our wonderful hobby! If you weren’t there, you missed out on a great time! We sure made the best of it and took it all in! Made a few stops and saw some cool stuff along the way as well! Be sure to join in with PARC as we continue to explore the world of Amateur Radio! Fo you want to k ow what’s next?! Go the the club calendar and see for yourself! 

Mobile or Bust! 18 Apr 2026!

By

On April 13, 2026

In Announcement, Events, Excitement!, Hamfest/Tailgate!

Yard Sale Supporting FWB Jr Bombers

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On April 12, 2026

In Announcement, Events, Excitement!, Pile-Up

PARC joined up with the FWB Jr. Bombers Market and showed off what Amateur Radio is! We set up vhf/uhf/hf and demonstrated our capabilities!

Hot Off the Press!

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On April 1, 2026

In Announcement, Community, Excitement!, QST

The QST for the ARRL-NFL!

https://arrl-nfl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/01-QST-NFL-April-2026.pdf

POTA Hootenanny!

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On March 30, 2026

In Community, Events, Excitement!, POTA, Technical

Parks on the Air (POTA) is an international radio sport award program that encourages licensed amateur radio operators to visit, enjoy, and operate portable equipment in parks and public lands worldwide. Founded as a nonprofit in January 2018 to continue the legacy of the ARRL’s National Parks on the Air event, it promotes emergency awareness and communication skills while operators respect park regulations and other users. 

The program involves two main roles: activators, who set up temporary stations in designated locations, and hunters, who search for and contact these stations from home or other locations.  To count as a valid activation, an operator must make a minimum of 10 contacts (QSOs) from a specific park within a single UTC day, logging them on the official website to earn awards based on bands, modes (voice, Morse code, or FT8), and total contacts! 

Our Teammate KR4FWK continues to experiment, hunt and activate! Here is an example of him attempting to perform the above at Fred Gannon  Park in Niceville Florida! Thank you for sharing and keep the key down!

Meet Pebble HF!

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On March 24, 2026

In Community, Excitement!, Field Day, POTA, Technical

The newest ham radio thing to geek out about right now is the Pebble HF, a community-driven, ultra-affordable QRP (low-power) HF radio kit developed by the Ham Radio Duo (Becky N4BKY and Mike N4FFF) in collaboration with Barb WB2CBA and Guido PE1NNZ. Priced at a target of $50 USD (with early backers paying slightly more), it’s designed to be accessible even for first-time builders, featuring only 14 through-hole components and pre-populated surface-mount parts. Its standout features include USB-C power input (allowing operation directly from a phone), a built-in straight key and microphone, and a compact, portable design ideal for Parks On The Air (POTA) activations. This device is coming to the market soon. Get in line now! 

 

Thank You for Attending!

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On March 21, 2026

In Community, Events, Excitement!, Hamfest/Tailgate!

From our Group to yours, thank you for a wonderful event! The 56th Annual Playground Amateur Radio Club Hamfest is proud to have sponsored another great adventure in Amateur Radio!

Florida State POTA!

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On March 19, 2026

In Announcement, Community, Events, Excitement!, POTA

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Florida State Parks on the Air contest! Usually held over the first weekend in April (adjusted for Easter Sunday). Whether you are a casual operator, contester, in Florida, out of Florida, or even outside the United States, this contest is for you. We urge, but do not require, contestants to also be members of the national Parks on the Air (POTA) organization.

https://fspota.org/

Free Technician Class!

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On March 15, 2026

In Announcement, Classes, Community, Events, Excitement!, Technical, Testing

What?! Again! YES, AGAIN! The team at the Playground Amateur Radio Club Fort Walton Beach Florida is proud to offer yet another FREE Technician Class starting 1 Apr 2026! Sign up at parcfwb@gmail.com!

Its Hamfest week!

By

On March 15, 2026

In Announcement, Community, Events, Excitement!, Hamfest/Tailgate!, Technical, Testing, Uncategorized

Its hamfest week! And the Playground Amateur Radio Club is ready for another fabulous event! 56th Annual PARC Hamfest: Systems Operational

​The Playground Amateur Radio Club (PARC) 56th Annual Hamfest is officially commencing. Data indicates high activity levels at the Rigdon Center (formerly Northwest Florida Fairgrounds) for this weekend’s events.

​Event Logistics

​Location: Rigdon Center, 1958 Lewis Turner Blvd, Fort Walton Beach, FL.

​Dates:

​Friday, March 20: Pre-show from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Setup 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM).

​Saturday, March 21: Main event from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Setup 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM).

​Admission: $10.00 (Free for Scouts in uniform, ages 12 and under, and seniors over 85).

​Talk-In Frequency: 146.790 MHz (100Hz tone).

​Key Programming

​License Testing: VE testing begins at 9:00 AM on Saturday, March 21. Pre-registration via PARCFWB@gmail.com is recommended.

​Swapfest & Tables: Indoor tables are $15.00 each, featuring a wide array of radio gear, electronics, and specialized equipment.

​Grand Prizes: Saturday drawings are scheduled for 12:00 PM (3rd), 12:30 PM (2nd), and 1:00 PM (Main Prize). Presence is not required for the main prize.

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