Earlier this year, we set out several bold new strategic initiatives. We kicked off our Education and Membership Strategic Initiative with a record-setting HamCram in May, and with our next HamCram set for October 24th, this biannual effort is officially cemented as a cornerstone of NFARL’s mission to welcome and grow new hams. Now, it is time to launch our Second Strategic Initiative—one designed for every single member of NFARL, whether you’ve been licensed for 30 days or 30 years: The NFARL Antenna Opportunity Project. Why Antennas? Why Now? Whenever we survey our membership, one topic consistently tops the wishlist: […]

Build, test, and certify your own EFHW 49:1 unun with help from club Elmers. Saturday, October 24 at 3:00pm at Preston Ridge. Open to everyone. Registration opens the first week of October. Build Your Own EFHW 49:1 Unun As part of the NFARL Antenna Opportunity Project 2026, we’re hosting a hands-on antenna component workshop. The Antenna Opportunity Project is our structured club initiative to maximize station performance through site surveys, antenna consulting, hands-on builds, and Elmer-assisted installations. Join us to build, test, and certify your own End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW) 49:1 unun, housed in a durable, outdoor-mountable 4 x 4 x […]

Are you ready to join the world of amateur radio? NFARL is hosting a special “Ham Cram” session designed to take you from zero to licensed in a single day! Why Join the Ham Cram? Accelerated Learning: Spend 6 hours in a classroom environment where we teach you the answers to the FCC Technician pool. Immediate Testing: Take your VE exam right after the class while the information is fresh. Awesome Bonuses: If you pass the test, you’ll receive: A FREE 1-year NFARL Membership. A programmed Handheld Radio (HT) with “NFARL Metro Atlanta” channels already set up, if you’re under […]

Due to unexpected facility repairs at our Preston Ridge campus, our Tuesday, September 15th Club Meeting and annual Mini-Hamfest flea market are postponed. The Preston Ridge facility is currently replacing its entire air conditioning system and will be completely closed to all outside groups through September 20th. Rescheduled Meeting Details New Date: Monday, September 28, 2026 Location: Preston Ridge Meeting Facility Event: Regular Club Meeting & Annual Mini-Hamfest Flea Market We apologize for the short notice and any inconvenience this shift causes. The Mini-Hamfest is always one of our favorite annual events, and moving the date to September 28th ensures we can hold the […]

Join us Tuesday, August 18th at 7:30pm for our monthly NFARL meeting! This month, Renee Taylor (KR4BHV) shares her journey building and installing an 80 meter loop antenna — mostly from scratch, with plenty of help along the way from the Hungry Hams lunch crowd and her Elmer, Lee (N4WYE). Renee, a regular at the Wednesday lunches, will walk us through: Why she chose the 80 meter loop Modeling the antenna’s properties before building The practical steps of assembly and installation Getting it on the air If you’ve ever thought about tackling a big antenna project yourself, this is a […]

If you built a J-Pole at the July 18th workshop and are still wondering just how well one of these things performs — Gary Siepser, KR4LUL, has your answer. Gary finished his DBJ-2 build, swept it on 70cm at the workshop, and — the same day — took it home, hung it in a tree at roughly 6 feet off the ground, and hit the repeaters. No mast, no tower, no ground plane. Just a tree branch and a fresh coat of solder. 🛠️ From Kit to Feedpoint 📊 Checking the Numbers Gary’s 70cm sweep came in at a clean […]

Following up on our J-Pole Workshop announcement, NFARL members turned out on July 18th for a morning of hands-on antenna building, radio programming, and repeater know-how. Hams of all experience levels — including several brand-new licensees fresh off Ham Cram — built their own dual-band 2m/70cm J-Pole antennas, programmed their HTs with the new NFARL Metro Atlanta Frequency Plan via CHIRP, and picked up practical tips for getting the most out of local repeaters. By noon, tables that started out covered in twin-lead wire, PVC, and soldering irons were covered in finished — and tuned — antennas ready to take […]

Fellow NFARL members, Mark your calendars — our July meeting is coming up on Tuesday, July 21st, and we have a presentation that I think will be genuinely valuable for every operator in our membership. 📍 Preston Ridge Community Center 3655 Preston Ridge Road, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30005 Doors open at 7:00 PM | Meeting begins at 7:30 PM Can’t make it in person? Join us virtually: 🔗 https://meet.google.com/kgg-vfyp-cyv About the Presentation Mike Cohen (AD4MC) will walk us through the story behind the NFARL Metro Atlanta Area Frequency Plan — how it came to be, how it was developed, […]

🛠️ Workshop: 2m/70cm J-Pole Build, CHIRP Programming, & Repeater Tips – July 18th Following up on our highly successful Ham Cram class, it’s time to put those new HTs (handheld transceivers) to work! This hands-on workshop is designed to help you build a portable, raised outside antenna for vastly superior repeater coverage, get your radio programmed with local frequencies, and master the airwaves. We will start at 9am and try to finish by 12 noon. 📋 Workshop Objectives Build a Twin-Lead 2m/70cm J-Pole Antenna: Construct a high-performance, portable/base antenna to take home. CHIRP Radio Programming: Flash your HT or portable/base […]