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The official newsletter of the Handiham Radio Club. Issue 5, September 2025.
Greetings from the Editor
Whew! That is all I can say about the start of the month. An active week in Minnesota at the 2025 Handiham Radio Camp left me exhausted. A twice-delayed flight from Minneapolis made me miss my connection in Charlotte. Then came a four-hour-plus wait for the next flight to Richmond, and yet another delay left me sitting on the plane for over an hour before we could push back from the gate. I arrived in Richmond around 11 PM, five and a half hours late. Another 45 minutes of wandering around the parking garage with my friend, trying to find her car, before the 40-minute drive to my apartment in Petersburg, drained what little energy I had left. With only one day to sleep, I have been running full tilt as we enter the busy fall and holiday season.
I know I am not the only club member who attended camp and now desperately needs a vacation after our vacation. If I could, would I do anything differently this month? Absolutely not. No matter how stressful and draining camp is each year, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. In fact, I no longer go to Minneapolis each September for Radio Camp; instead, I go to Minneapolis each September for the family reunion. This issue of the Radio Active Times is all about the family reunion and camp, since that has been the club members’ focus for the last few weeks. A fellow club member and camper reminded me just the other day that we only have 50 weeks left before camp. Oh, whew!
Mélanie Carriveau, KN4ZSY, Editor in Chief
Contributions Wanted
If you have something related to ham radio or technology that you want to share with the club, please submit it to our Editor in Chief, Mélanie Carriveau, KN4ZSY. There is no deadline for submissions, and the submission guidelines are quite flexible.
Presidential Greeting
Greetings, Radio Active Times readers. Our radio club has been very busy this month. Nearly 30 HRC members have just returned from a week at Radio Camp, sponsored by the Handiham Program. This week marked a rejuvenation of Handicampers. Radio Camp was a great opportunity to get reacquainted with old friends and make a batch of new ones. There were jam sessions, games, Snap Circuits sessions, and testing sessions, which are covered below. Our radio club meeting had 52 club members in attendance. Our special event station made its presence known on the bands, using remote stations that gave us added coverage. Radio Camp was a busy time, but it will be good to get home.
Jerry Maccoux, W0UH, Handiham Radio Club President
Handiham Daily Net Report for August
By Jerry Maccoux, W0UH, Net Manager
August 2025 was a very good month for the HRC daily net. Here is a quick rundown of the statistics.
| Week | Check-ins | Average per net |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 115 | 19.6 |
| Week 2 | 128 | 21.3 |
| Week 3 | 122 | 23 |
| Week 4 | 132 | 26.4 |
| Net | Check-ins |
|---|---|
| Monday | 85 |
| Tuesday | 83 |
| Wednesday morning | 87 |
| Wednesday evening trivia | 80 |
| Thursday | 101 |
| Friday | 100 |
| August total | 538 (average 21.44 per net) |
- This marks the 24th consecutive week the HRC net has logged more than 100 checked-in stations.
- From July 1 through September 12, 2025: 1,402 checked-in stations, an average of 21.5.
- Since January 1, 2025: 4,121 checked-in stations, an average of 18.9. To put this in perspective, all of last year logged fewer than 3,500.
Be sure to drop in at 11:00 AM Central time, Monday through Friday, for our daily nets:
- EchoLink: HANDIHAM conference server, node 494492
- DMR: talkgroup TGIF, TG 3141
- AllStar: node 473670
Article 1: A Week at Handiham Radio Camp 2025
The following is a true tale that happened not too long ago. Pay close attention as you read it, as there will be a quiz afterwards.
Thursday: Arrival
On Thursday, September 4, 35 campers and volunteers descended on the Embassy Suites in Bloomington, Minnesota, for the Handiham 2025 Radio Camp. Those who arrived early gathered in the conference room, where they tapped canes, shook hands and exchanged hugs. Handiham administrator Melissa hung out for a bit, matching voices and names with faces. Camp officially began with a simple dinner of deli meat and cheese sandwiches with veggies and fruit. After a welcome from Handiham Program Coordinator Lucinda, AB8WF, campers introduced themselves.
There were campers from all over the country as well as the world. Christoph, DF9WM, took the prize for the farthest travel, having come all the way from Munich, Germany. Diane, WD9DNQ, had one of the shortest trips, taking local paratransit from her home in the Twin Cities. This year’s camp saw many first-time attendees, including Eric, KU3I; John, NT0A; and Chad, WI9HF. Camp also welcomed returning campers like Nick, KC2FAL, and longtime campers like sweet Luella, KE0RF.
Friday: The special event begins
Friday started bright and early with made-to-order breakfast in the atrium, served by the incredible hotel morning staff led by everyone’s best amigo, Jose. During the morning session, campers prepared for the upcoming special operating event. Those new to HF learned basic HF operating skills from Christoph, DF9WM, and Van, KO6I. Those with more HF experience learned about special event operating from John, NU6P; Jerry, W0UH; and Dr. Dave, KN0S. After an overview of logging for special events taught by Brian, KF0SMF, and John, NU6P, campers sat down to a lunch of grilled burgers on brioche buns with seasoned fries and fresh fruit cups, followed by cookies.
Campers spent the early afternoon making sure the camp radios were set up properly for the special event. At 3 PM Central time, the Handiham 2025 Radio Camp special operating event began, using the special 1×1 call W0H. John, NU6P, got things rolling with a contact in Ontario, Canada. The bands were really hopping, and Linda, N7HVF, made 35 contacts in just a few hours of operating. Michael, KL3XL, currently a Technician, used John’s Extra Class privileges to make his first two HF contacts, one in Alabama and one in Kentucky. Sabra, AI7UG, made a contact with Croatia. Brian, KF0SMF, made the most unique contact of the afternoon with Christoph, DF9WM, who was a whopping ten feet away across the room.
Shannon, head of food service for the hotel, and her amazing staff served a dinner of Caesar salad, roasted chicken with roasted potatoes and green beans, and chocolate cake with whipped cream and berries. The evening ended with several campers learning the basics of electronics and circuit design using Snap Circuits, taught by Fred, WB4AEJ, and Brian, KF0SMF. Campers feeling overloaded with STEM geekiness could relax by playing games in the conference room or hanging out by the hotel pool. Jerry, W0UH, hosted a jam session where several talented, and some not-so-talented, campers joined in.
Saturday: Testing and new Generals
Saturday started with another hearty made-to-order breakfast. After the daily announcements from Lucinda, AB8WF, campers tried to make more contacts for the special event, but the bands refused to open, although a few contacts were made. While most campers were fighting dead bands, a VE testing session was held, and four campers took their General Class exams. Over a lunch of turkey croissants with chips and melon, followed by dessert bars, campers congratulated Ericka, KD9VBX, and Russ, KR4BUZ, who both passed their General exams. The two who did not pass missed by just a few questions, and in the spirit of Elmering, several campers offered to help them study for a second VE session later in the week.
The afternoon was spent operating, with the new Generals using their new HF privileges and adding the exciting “AG” suffix to their calls. After a long day of operating, campers gathered for a dinner of house salad, grilled sirloin with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted carrots, finished with a warm apple crisp. The day ended as the night before had, with Snap Circuits, games, swimming and a lively jam session.
Sunday: The club meeting and talent show
The final stretch of the 48-hour special event began Sunday, with campers filling their bellies at breakfast, followed later by a lunch of cheesesteak sandwiches with tater tots, fresh fruit cups and brownies. At 3 PM Central time the special event ended, just as the monthly Handiham Radio Club meeting was starting in the conference room. Many club members who could not attend camp joined by Zoom, and a record 52 members and guests attended. During the meeting, several campers shared their experiences at camp, including Ralph, KC0TAY, who enjoyed how friendly everyone at camp is. So many wanted to share that club President Jerry, W0UH, had to adjourn the meeting before everyone had a turn, so no one would be late for another delicious dinner: maple pork medallions with spinach and berry salad, herb-roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and a roasted vegetable blend, finished with strawberry shortcake. Dinner was followed by a talent show featuring many talented campers.
Monday: Classes
Monday returned to a more classroom-style camp. To help everyone relax after the stress of the special event, Johnny, WA8WFH, shared a few of his favorite jokes, to everyone’s delight. In the morning, campers could learn about Amateur Radio Direction Finding from Lucinda, AB8WF; Fred, WB4AEJ; and Theo, N1MBY. The other class, on attaching cables and connectors, was taught by Handiham’s very own chief engineer, Brian, KF0SMF. Michael, KL3XL, did not let his dexterity challenges stop him from cutting and stripping wires before crimping on different styles of connectors. Jennifer, KC9AGR, successfully attached switches to various wires, learning a useful skill for the ham shack.
With their fox-hunting skills up to date and all their wires properly connected, campers tucked into a lunch of turkey club wraps with chips, fruit cups and cookies. In the afternoon, Dr. Dave, KN0S, talked about how to cut wire antennas, and later Van, KO6I, joined Dr. Dave to share ham radio stories from over the years. Campers then received a special treat: Wooley’s restaurant at the hotel offered a special menu of house or Caesar salad followed by a choice of pasta Alfredo with optional chicken, a deluxe burger, a Reuben sandwich, a walleye hoagie, Margherita flatbread, or a chicken rice bowl. After this special dinner, Van, KO6I, gave a very interesting presentation about his time working with NASA on radio communication during the shuttle era.
Tuesday: A day in the park
On Tuesday morning, campers filled up on breakfast before boarding the bus for a day in the park. After a forty-minute drive, they arrived at a park with an enclosed pavilion, a deck overlooking the lake, and a built-in fire pit. At 11 AM, John, NU6P, ran the Handiham Radio Club daily net, with Mélanie, KN4ZSY, logging for the first time. As the net went on, Mélanie found herself becoming overwhelmed, and only after the net ended did she understand why: the daily net saw a record 40 check-ins, beating the previous record by 7.
Lunch was made-to-order subs from Jersey Mike’s. Campers had planned to spend the afternoon hunting hidden transmitters, called foxes, using Amateur Radio Direction Finding; making satellite contacts; and practicing emergency skills with portable HF operation. However, the weather had other plans. Just as lunch was ending, a thunderstorm passed through, ending all plans for operating. So the afternoon was spent hanging out, playing games and enjoying a warm fire in the fire pit. On the ride back to the hotel, JoAnne, KG6POZ, regaled everyone with her “Rubber Ducky Antenna” song, sung to the tune of Ernie’s “Rubber Duckie.” Back at the hotel, campers enjoyed a dinner of Caesar salad and spaghetti with meatballs, followed by caramel cheesecake. The day ended with games in the conference room, a jam session, time at the pool, and for some, an early night.
Wednesday: More new Generals, awards and a pizza party
After breakfast on Wednesday, Brian, KF0SMF, and John, NU6P, gave campers an assistive technology and amateur radio update. Having studied hard since the first VE session, Vicki, N0TMJ, and Mike, KC0YFV, tested at a second VE session. They passed, joining the ranks of the Handiham club’s General Class operators, to the delight of everyone. Cheers and congratulations filled the air as campers chowed down on grilled chicken sandwiches with seasoned fries and melon wedges, with dessert bars to finish.
Wanting to make sure campers get everything they want out of camp, Lucinda, AB8WF, held a Radio Camp conversation in the afternoon, where campers shared their input and feedback to make the 2026 Radio Camp even better than this year’s.
The last event of camp was the awards presentation. Campers were recognized for all the growth they achieved during the week, and the volunteers’ hard work was acknowledged. Three special awards are given each year:
- Elmer of the Year: Ericka, KD9VBX, for her dedication to helping all campers reach their goals, especially those who upgraded their licenses.
- Power of Positivity: Nick, KE0WKX, for his constant positive attitude no matter what happened at camp.
- Volunteer of the Year: Van, KO6I, who all week showed a commitment to helping every camper have the best camp experience possible.
The final award of the night was not so much an award as a Radio Camp tradition. Lucinda, AB8WF, and Melissa, Handiham administrator, spend over eleven and a half months preparing for camp each year, on top of keeping the Handiham Program running smoothly. Each year the program and campers thank Lucinda and Melissa for all the hard work and dedication they give on behalf of program members. This year these two overworked, underpaid backbones of the program received thank-you gift bags with fancy soap, scented lotion, herbal tea, snacks, a decorative kitchen towel and a handmade stuffed toy.
The final celebration was a pizza party in the conference room, with a variety of pizzas alongside pasta salad, cookies and sodas. As with every meal at camp, the incredible hotel food service staff provided special meals for campers with dietary restrictions; Michael, KL3XL, enjoyed a supreme pizza made with a creamy white sauce instead of tomato sauce. While most campers dragged themselves back to their rooms to pack, Linda, N7HVF, and Peter, KD9VTU, ran the Handiham Wednesday night net.
Thursday: Heading home
Thursday morning, campers found their way to the atrium for one last hearty breakfast. Each day the hotel offered scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, toast, English muffins, pancakes, made-to-order omelets, fruit, pastries, coffee and juice, served at the table. This was a special service just for Handiham camp; all other hotel guests served themselves. Throughout the morning, the hotel airport shuttle took campers and sighted volunteers to the airport. The hotel and Handiham worked with the airport so the shuttle could drop campers directly at the check-in areas, instead of the usual shuttle stop across a parking lot from the terminal. Sighted volunteers helped campers check in and connect with airport special assistance staff for their trips home.
Quiz
- True or false: Campers eat the same boring, monotonous food day in and day out.
- Fill in the blank: Handiham Radio Camp takes place in ________, Minnesota, each year.
- True or false: Campers were offered more than one opportunity to take license exams at camp.
- True or false (this question is worth 100% of your score): After reading about all the exciting activities at Handiham Radio Camp, I plan to attend Handiham’s 2026 Radio Camp, September 9 through 11, 2026.
No matter what your score was, we hope you will consider attending next year’s camp. Lucinda Moody, AB8WF, Handiham Program Coordinator, will send out applications for the 2026 Handiham Radio Camp after the first of the year. Be sure to let her know if you want to receive one.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
September 2025
- September 25–27, 1300–2200 UTC: 18th Annual Triple Tree Fly-In. W4F, Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club, Woodruff, South Carolina. Frequency: 14.285 MHz.
- September 27–28, 1200–2300 UTC: Helene, One Year After. N4H, The Road Show Amateur Radio Club, Fairview, North Carolina. Frequency: 14.275 MHz.
- September 27, 1230–1930 UTC: Villa Rica Gold Rush. W4G, West Georgia Amateur Radio Society, Villa Rica, Georgia. 15, 20, 40 and 80 meters; CW, SSB and digital.
- September 27, 1400–2200 UTC: Volcano Days, oil and gas history. W8PAR, Parkersburg Amateur Radio Club, Parkersburg, West Virginia. CW 14.050 and 7.050 MHz; phone 14.250 and 7.200 MHz; FT8 on 20 and 40 meters.
October 2025
- October 2–5, 0000–2359 UTC: WWV 106th anniversary. WW0WWV, WWV Amateur Radio Club, Fort Collins, Colorado. Frequencies: 7.048, 7.248, 14.048, 14.248 MHz.
- October 5, 3:00 PM Central time: Handiham Radio Club meeting.
- October 11, 1600–2300 UTC: US Navy birthday. NI6IW, USS Midway Museum Ship, San Diego, California. Frequencies: 14.320, 7.250, 14.070 MHz.
Handiham Radio Club Board, September 2025
- President: Jerry Maccoux, W0UH
- Vice President: Tom Behler, KB8TYJ
- Secretary: Mélanie Carriveau, KN4ZSY
- Treasurer and Handiham Program representative: Lucinda Moody, AB8WF
- Immediate Past President: Linda Reeder, N7HVF
- Technology Committee Chair: John Glass, NU6P
- Outreach Committee Chair: Peter Atkinson, KD9VTU
- First Member at Large: Darrell Horst, KM6KFW
- Second Member at Large: Christoph Bungard, DF9WM
To reach the club or any board member, please contact the Handiham Radio Club through the Handiham Program.