South Carolina's Growing Resource for Ham Radio!
The Ridge ARC's Annual Tailgate Party - Saturday - April 6th, 2024
The Columbia ARC's Spring Swapfest - Saturday - April 27th, 2024
John Compton Hope Info 02162024.docxPlease see the below note from ARRL SC Section Manager John Gendron:
Greetings to our ARRL Members of the Great Palmetto State,
SC House Bill 4549 “The Amateur Radio Antenna Protection Act”
The ARRL SC Section is working to move the bill out of committee. This
will be a process to move the bill from committee to the full house and
then to the SC Senate. This will take some time so please be patient as
we working to matriculate the bill though the SC legislature.
We have a Rally at the State House scheduled for Wednesday February
28th, 2024. We want to show the house that we are very supportive of
the bill and that we are a large number of voters. We are going to sit
in the upper gallery for the session on that date. Please consider
coming and showing the SC house we are serious about this bill and its
importance to amateur radio.
Please be at the statehouse by 9am to make sure you can get in. The
session starts at 10am. There are several lots along Assembly Street in
which to park. We are going to use the Columbia Amateur Radio Club
repeater for a talk-in the repeater is at 147.330 + PL 156.7.
If you have questions please e-mail me, address is NJ4Z@ARRL.ORG.
Bill Summary can be found at
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4549&session=125&summary=B
And the full text of the bill can be found at
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4549_20231116.htm
If you have any questions on the legislation, please contact ARRL SC
Section Manager John Gendron, NJ4Z via email at NJ4Z@ARRL.org.
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March 2024 Testing and Training
SCHEART Ham (Amateur) radio testing will be offered on March 23rd at 08:30 am at SCETV headquarters, 1041 George Rogers Blvd in Columbia. We’ll take care of the administrative work first and start the testing at when the admin work is done. Bring a photo ID, an original and copy of any Ham Radio license, your FRN and $10.00 cash. If a child is testing and has no photo I.D., bring a copy of a birth certificate. Also, once the FCC processes your application, they will want an additional $35.00.
If you are testing for the first time, you must bring your FCC Registration Number (FRN), which you can get here:https://tinyurl.com/yayymn28
If you’re coming for testing only, email us so we can plan accordingly.
Please refer any questions to midlandsve@gmail.com
The Dutch Fork Amateur Radio Group (DFARG) VE team will be offering ARRL VE testing on the following Saturdays in 2024 @ 9am at the DFARG ham shack.
March 30th
May 11th
June 22nd
August 3th
September 14th
October 26th
December 7th
230 Depot St , Little Mountain, SC
The testing will be for all classes, Technician, General, & Extra.
Registration is suggested as limited walk ins will be accepted.
Bring your FRN and/or a copy of your current license.
ARRL testing fee $15.00
Please contact for additional details and registration:
Malcolm Davis
Email: K4XMD6523@gmail.com
Phone 803.528.6523
John Gendron, NJ4Z, Appointed South Carolina Section Manager
ARRL has named John Gendron, NJ4Z, as the South Carolina Section Manager. He will complete the term of Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, who passed away after a brief illness.
John Gendron, NJ4Z, Section Manager of the ARRL South Carolina Section.
Gendron, an Amateur Extra-class operator, is President of the York County Amateur Radio Society (YCARS) and a member of the Swamp Fox Contest Group. In addition to being an avid contester and DX chaser, Gendron enjoys participating in Parks on the Air. He has earned numerous ARRL awards, including the Worked All States and Triple Play Worked All States awards, and is closing in on 5-Band DXCC.
Gendron also hosts a YouTube channel, called From the Hamshack. In 2022, he became the 55th recipient of the Vic Clark Roanoke Division ARRL Service Award, the Division's highest honor.
Gendron is the CEO and an owner of a regional systems integration company based in South Carolina, and he earned a degree in electrical engineering from Youngstown State University in Ohio. He and his family reside in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Gendron's appointed term as Section Manager will continue through December 31, 2024.
Please send any Repeater, Club, Hamfest, or Special Event information you would like posted on this site to SCHamRadio@GMail.com Thanks!
Parks on the Air
#POTA or Parks on the Air® is a very quickly growing part of Amateur Radio. This is great in many ways as it is getting more hams on the HF bands as well as supporting parks across the world. This is also becoming a great source of outreach for the hobby as many hikers, fishermen/women, and other outdoors people at parks are asking operators about what they are doing and many are showing interest in the hobby. If you haven't yet heard about POTA please check out their site by clicking the image on the left.
D-Star Reflector 33 C is a gathering spot for POTA conversations.
South Carolina Statewide Bridge now active on Hamshack Hotline (387).