Athens Radio Club
The Athens Radio Club is active in the amateur radio hobby. The club hosts several annual events that provide opportunities for operators to experience all aspects of amateur radio. Our members can be found operating POTA, working a variety of public service events, or just ragchewing on the local repeater. Join us at a regular meeting, at one of our many events, or on the air. Membership is not required but is encouraged and appreciated. We have set a goal of 100 members for 2026.
2026 Membership Drive
Help us reach our goal of 100 members. Join the Athens Radio Club now.
We are now up to 90 members. 10 more to go.
Upcoming Meetings, Programs, and Events
June 2 - 6:00 Amateur Radio License Exams.
June 2 - 7:30 Athens Radio Club Meeting.
The program will be “WSPR Mode @ 10mW ... and Below,” presented by Bruce Johnson (KX4AZ). For the full program description, see the Programs page.
June 27-28 - This year, ARRL (Summer) Field day will be at the Athens Ben Epps Airport, in the yard surrounded by the driveway, using the special event callsign W4G. See the W4G page on QRZ.com for more information. You can view information and pictures from past Field Days at ARRL Field Day.
For more information contact Colin (KO4IZK).
July - No Club Meeting in July.
August 4 - 6:00 Amateur Radio License Exams
August 4 - 7:30 Athens Radio Club Meeting.
See the main ARC Calendar Page for more events.
See the ARC Past Events page to see what we have been doing.
Someone in Athens is stealing the wheels off ACCPD police cars. The police are working tirelessly to catch him.
El Nino
Have you heard about the “Super El Nino” this year? Read about the El Nino on the ARC Weather page.
VIP Visit
Read about the recent VIP Visit to the Athens Airport on the ARC Specials page.
GA WildFires
Read about the recent WildFires in South GA on the ARC Specials page.
I think I saw a UFO once, but I’m not sure because, I couldn’t identify what it was.
With the latest news feeding frenzy about the “release” of UFO sightings, here are some sites to feed your interest.
UFO Sites
Government Sites
This is the “new” site:
The PURSUE Archive: The newest and most comprehensive clearinghouse is located on the Department of Defense's dedicated portal. Launched as part of the Presidential Unsealing, Reporting, and Distraction System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE), this centralized database hosts dozens of recently declassified videos, military sensor footage, and historical files dating back to the 1940s.
These have been around for a long time:
The AARO Official Portal: The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office houses its official repository of military-captured footage at aaro.mil. This includes categorized clips under their Official UAP Imagery page featuring unresolved radar and infrared files, such as the famous Navy "FLIR", "GIMBAL", and "GOFAST" videos alongside drone footage from global deployment zones.
The National Archives (NARA): Historical records, transcripts, and related media are cataloged under the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection (Record Group 615).
The FBI Vault: Historical files and investigations regarding older, legacy sightings can be reviewed directly via the FBI Vault's UFO Collection.
Independent Collections
The National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) is an independent, non-governmental non-profit organization that serves as the largest civilian clearinghouse for documenting UFO and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) sightings. Founded in 1974 by investigator Robert J. Gribble, NUFORC acts as an alternative, community-driven archive that preserves public experiences that might otherwise be dismissed by mainstream institutions. Users can filter sightings by date, location, or the specific shape of the craft (e.g., orb, triangle, or "Tic-Tac").
NASA Watch is an independent, civilian-run blog and news website that provides insider information, internal memos, and sharp commentary regarding the United States space program and NASA It is completely unaffiliated with the government. It acts as a watchdog site dedicated to monitoring the space agency’s executive management, political maneuvers, and budget shifts. The platform was launched in March 1996 by Keith Cowing, a former NASA space station payload integration engineer. He started the site to critique agency policy during a wave of massive internal layoffs. It is highly regarded for publishing leaked internal documents, whistleblower complaints, and operational rumors before they hit mainstream news.
Americans for Safe Aerospace (ASA) is a military pilot-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization focused on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) as a matter of aviation safety and national security. It serves as the largest advocacy community of its kind, bridging the gap between military witnesses, commercial pilots, and Washington policymakers. The organization was founded by Ryan Graves, a former U.S. Navy F/A-18F pilot who was the first active-duty pilot to testify before Congress regarding regular UAP encounters during his deployment.
The Disclosure Foundation is a prominent, nonpartisan civil society organization and public charity dedicated to advancing government transparency, policy research, and public education regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). The foundation shifts the focus from simply asking if UAP exist to actively preparing society, scientific institutions, and legal frameworks for how the world operates as information is systematically declassified.
Keeping HamClock Alive
HamClock was created by Elwood Downey, WB0OEW — an engineer who built one of the most popular shack displays in amateur radio and gave it away for free. Elwood became a Silent Key on January 29, 2026. Because of this, the server that supports the original HamClock will be going offline in June 2026.
However, Bruce Edrich, W4BAE, has built a back-end server that promises to keep your HamClock installation functioning after that time. Bruce is a cybersecurity consultant and ham radio operator based in South Florida. He is hosting the new web site hamclock.com. Visit hamclock.com to get the details on how to keep your HamClock operating.
OpenHamClock
Have you been looking at Geocron or Hamclock but haven’t pulled the trigger yet? Try OpenHamClock. You can find a link to it on our Links page in the Maps and Display Software section.
The Union Pacific railroad will join the nation in celebrating 250 years of American independence and innovation this year with its first-ever coast-to-coast steam tour led by the legendary Big Boy No. 4014. A daily schedule with additional stops along with a map of the route will be released closer to the tour’s launch. The eastern leg of the tour, anticipated to start in late spring 2026 (after April), is still being finalized and will be announced soon.
Unfortunatly, the Big Boy will not be coming close to Georgia.
4014 Big Boy Steam Engine
Suggestion Box
Please take a moment and tell us what you think of Athens Radio Club. You can also suggest ideas or monthly programs. Just use the message to send us your ideas or comments.
We also receive physical mail at:
Athens Radio Club
PO Box 251
Hull, GA 30646
Donations
Please consider making a donation to our group to fund things such as Supporting Special Events, Repeater Maintenance, Disaster Aid, General Operations, and Public Service.
We seek to educate members and others interested in Amateur Radio, as well as provide information about amateur radio activities in Athens and surrounding areas.
Maybe your neighbor is a licensed ‘ham’ radio operator? Take a LOOK!
For current meeting information visit the meetings page.
If you have suggestions for improving this site, please email the Webmaster.
Athens Radio Club meetings are held at 7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month, except July and December. Check the Meeting Location page for the correct location.