Why Was Minnesota Ham Radio Started?

In today’s hyper-connected world it’s easy to overlook the power of amateur radio. It remains a vital means of communication, a playground for tech enthusiasts, and a medium for forging lasting connections with people around the world. Minnesota Ham Radio exists to serve and support the amateur radio community in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Why Minnesota ham radio was started

We started Minnesota Ham Radio to help fill a gap. When newcomers enter the hobby it’s hard to find reliable information on local clubs, repeaters, nets etc. Where does someone who is brand new go to get started? Much of the information is outdated or the websites providing information are severely out of date in design and functionality which hinders their ability to be useful.

Minnesota Ham Radio recognizes the importance of communicating consistently and uniformly to the amateur radio community here in Minnesota. We hope to serve as a hub where amateurs can find valuable resources, engage in discussions, and learn from experienced operators. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned ham, this website fosters a sense of community that encourages the sharing of knowledge and experiences.

How did we approach this project?

MinnesotaHamRadio.com is not just a website; it exists to support the amateur radio community in Minnesota. To accomplish that we had to understand what the challenges were among new amateur radio operators. We surveyed over 100 newly-licensed Minnesota hams to find out the answer. Thanks to their participation we structured our project around the content they were searching for.

Many seasoned hams take things for granted. Like what repeaters are the most active around a given area. Or that the monthly Hams In The Park meetup takes place on the second Saturday of the month. These are things that get passed around between clubs or through our social networks as operators – but for someone new they don’t know where to “hook in” and get connected with this information.

That’s why much of our presence is centered around news, events and resources. All things useful not only to new hams but also experienced hams across the state.

Is Minnesota Ham Radio a Club?

Yes. Technically we are a recognized club with board members under the callsign W0MHR (W0MinnesotaHamRadio). Our board meetings occur at local taco establishments because it may be the best food ever invented. We’re not a normal amateur radio club in the traditional sense. We share a goal of connecting the Minnesota amateur radio community and using our tech skills to do it. Preferably while eating tacos.🌮

How Can You Help?

We’re excited when amateur radio operators from across Minnesota give us information to help promote. We can’t possibly know everything happening around the state — that’s where you come in! Do you have an upcoming event? Newly established club trying to make a splash? Repeater now offline but still showing up in our directory? Something cool to show us that you is worthy of an article? Send it to us!

If you’re looking to help in a more substantial way we’re always looking for more admins/contributors. Do you have competent skills in any of the following areas?

• Writing*
• Photography / graphic design*
• Community management*
• Web design / application development*

*Must like tacos

Get in touch with Minnesota Ham Radio.

Doesn’t sound like you? That’s okay! You can still connect with us and other amateur radio operators from all over Minnesota on Discord.