Thank-you to the sponsors, attendees, seminar speakers, vendors, volunteers, and our hosts: the Minnesota National Guard. Your support and involvement made this event a great success!
See you next year ‼️
Amateur radio has long been a vital partner with served agencies in providing communications support, passing traffic, and performing other tasks, both in times of crisis and in times of community service. Through community events, hams help out before and When All Else Fails®.
The best way to become a part of serving the greater good in your area is by joining your local ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) group. “Every disaster starts and ends at the local level, and so should community resilience through radio,” said ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. “Local ARES groups are set up based on the needs of the local community and local volunteers are gritical to making sure they are able to serve when needed.”
Radio amateurs are valuable resources to their communities in times of crisis. This week, hams in Connecticut were featured in news coverage as they participated in a mass casualty drill with St. Vincent Medical Center in Bridgeport. Several scenarios played out in which amateur radio volunteers helped the hospital connect with other medical facilities, including a targeted cyberattack, mass shooting, and explosions.
ARRL has launched a nationwide grassroots campaign aimed at securing the passage of federal legislation that would grant Amateur Radio Operators the same rights to install antennas on their property as those enjoyed by users of TV antennas, wireless internet, and flagpoles.
The October 2025 Contest Corral is available for download from the ARRL Contest Calendar page.
As the tornadoes that struck Massachusetts on September 6, 2025, demonstrate, you need to be ready for an emergency ahead of time. Radio amateurs were able to serve their communities and the National Weather Service because they were prepared.
