Fredfest26

FredFest 2026 is BACK!
Saturday, March 21st, 2026
8:00 am to 12 noon

Shake off those winter blues and join us for the first local Amateur Radio indoor tailgate hamfest of spring.


*** NEW LOCATION with LOTS of parking ***

Event location: AMVETS Post #2 FARM
9602 Baltimore Rd
Frederick, MD  21704

The Farm is about one minute off of Interstate 70, just east of the Monocacy River. See map here: AMVETS #2 Farm

            • General Admission is $7.00, with kids under 18 free.
            • Tables are $15 for first table, and $10 for each additional, and includes admission for one person
            • Seller setup begins at 06:45 am, doors open to the public at 8:00 am
            • We are accepting table reservations – email K3MMM@arrl.net to reserve yours
            • Raffle prizes throughout the morning – must be present to win
            • Did we mention lots and lots of parking?
            • Talk in on 146.73 (negative offset PL 141.3)

PLEASE share with your friends and neighbors!  The downloadable flyer is here:  FF26 Flyer

Questions?  Send me a note using my call sign  @arrl.net

73!
Mike K3MMM

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Everything about logging at November meeting on Monday the 17th at 7pm

Amateur radio logging happens by any number of means. Some like paper, others have a preferred piece of software running on a preferred device. Do you log all contacts, only HF, only POTA? During our November meeting, we will discuss many of the options, and invite you to chime in with your preferred method. Feel free to bring your logging device for others to see.

So, please join the discussion on Monday, November 17th at 7pm. We meet in the social hall of the Independent Hose (fire) Company, located at 310 Baughmans Lane in Frederick. Parking and social hall entrance are in the rear of the building. We begin setting up around 6pm, so feel free to arrive early to socialize. ALL members of the local (and distant) community are welcome to attend – there is absolutely no need to be a member or licensed or anything.

As always, meetings are simply better in person, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. Next best option is via Zoom, the link is here: FARC Zoom 2025 So that we can tell bot from human, please include your name and/or call sign in profile. Also please keep yourself muted unless actively participating.

Please let me know if there are questions – we hope to see you on Monday!

73!
Mike K3MMM

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Mast Raising and POTA Success

We went into the morning with two goals: put up the new club mast and activate Cunningham Falls State Park for Parks on the Air (aka POTA), and we had success with both. Everything worked like a champ and it was a positive learning experience and I’m thrilled that we had about a dozen members come out to help.  Thanks to Derek KC3YYP for doing the proverbial heavy lifting by procuring all of the gear. We’ll recap at the next club meeting.  Here are a few pics, courtesy of Steve W3ATN

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Mast raising and POTA party November 1st

Hi all,

We’re having an old-fashioned mast raising and POTA (Parks on the Air) this Saturday November 1st from 10am to 1pm.  What is a “mast raising” you ask?  It’s the initial setup of the clubs’s new portable mast that we’ll use for various events including field day.  The event will be at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls State Park – this is the area that is accessible from US Rt 15 between Lewistown and Thurmont.  Once you turn in the entrance and go past the guard shack, you’ll turn left toward the visitor center (official address is: 6709 Cunningham Falls Park Rd, Thurmont, MD 21788) – it looks like there is green space near the playground just before the actual visitor center – call it W3W: ///cartons.clown.sailor. Please note that the park has a $3/each entrance fee for MD registered vehicles and $5/each for out of state vehicles.

Feel free to bring your radio or antenna or whatever you’d like.  Many of us will have radios and will be happy to share.  If you have questions, send me a note using my call sign @arrl.net.  PLEASE join us!

I hope to see you there! 73!
Mike K3MMM

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