About Us

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Last Updated on Monday, June 06 2022 21:05

The Anoka County Radio Club is a group of Amateur (Ham) Radio enthusiasts that support each other and our community in Anoka County. 

Fun Ham Radio Facts

• We communicate locally, regionally, and internationally using only the atmosphere and our equipment.

• Ham operators have their own satellites for our own use in earth orbit!

• We can hear, and communicate with, the ISS.

• We experiment with electronics and antennas

• We use voice, data, and morse code.   In data modes, we can see where our signals go on a world-wide google map!

• We can send/receive pictures via radio, including from the ISS.

• We have competitive contests testing our skill to make contacts, trace signals, or pass messages.

• Our equipment ranges from the ancient to the state-of-the-art, from homemade to store-bought.  Antennas could be simple wires, fiberglass poles, or entire tower trailers.

If any of this sounds fun to you, you should consider becoming a ham radio operator.   The Anoka County Radio Club is authorized to administer FCC exams; and the questions and answers are online.  www.arrl.org would be a good resource to start out.   Also www.anokaradio.org for testing dates and locations.  Ham Radio is a fun hobby for all ages or budgets 

We also aspire to help out any new hams in our service area with equipment selection, operation and/or installation - look up our board member call-signs on qrz.com for email contact information.

About Us

Originally founded in 1955, Anoka County Radio Club and Emergency Services is a group of ham radio enthusiasts who live in and around Anoka County, Minnesota.  Affiliated with the Amateur Radio Relay League, we teach classes, host radio and social events, maintain a repeater and volunteer our services at several community events every year.  We also sponsor V.E. (Ham Radio) Testing and Skywarn Training. 

Club History

The Anoka County Radio Club has its roots in the organization created at the home of Bernt Westeren (W0SER) on January 10, 1955.  Mayne Menke (W0DXZ) was President, Bernt Westeren (W0SER) was Vice-President and John Lonsky (W0BSI) was Secretary and Treasurer. You can read the first club newsletter (Feb 29, 1956) or Phil DeJarlais' (W0JHS) account of the first club field day operation and the June Civil Defense Drill.  After the exercise it was decided that Anoka was too close to Minneapolis and St. Paul, and that the Civil Defense station had to move to Mankato.  You can read correspondence regarding the drill and see the logbooks from the event.  From the beginning, the Anoka County Radio Club has made helping the community a priority.

Today

Each year, our club hosts a number of events.  Some are brand new to the club, while others have been done each year.  Our Christmas Banquet has been held annually since 1958.  Many of our other events have been held 10 or more years each. Anoka Count Radio Club Members help with communication at parades, festivals marathons, and community events.  Every event we do serves at least three purposes - having fun, refining our communication skills, and helping the community.  As it was throughout our history any time the communications of hams are needed the Anoka County Radio Club will be ready.

The most frequent locations we use for meetings and events are: 

Blaine City Hall
The Blaine City Hall is at 10801 Town Square Dr, Blaine, MN, at the corner of 109th Street and Radisson Road in Blaine.  From Hwy 65, go east on 109th St. Continue on 109th Street until you cross Radisson Road.   The city hall is located behind the apartment complex and Walgreen's store.

Centerville City Hall
The Centerville City Hall is located at 1880 Main St, Centerville, MN.  Take Main Street into Centerville to Shad Ave. 

Our mailing address is:

Anoka County Radio Club
P.O. Box 982
Anoka, MN 55303