VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
September Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 27 September at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
Masonic Lodges on the Air
Purpose
To promote public awareness of ham radio and Freemasonry; to promote fraternal bonds within the ranks of Free & Accepted Masonic Lodges and its many Amateur Radio operators who are also brothers in the fraternity; and to encourage contact with other Amateur Radio Operators around the state, country, and world. You do not need to be a Mason to participate.
Join us at the Mount Vernon Lodge No 219, 8717 Fort Hunt Rd, Alexandria, VA 22308.
October Business Meeting
The October business meeting will be held on Thursday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
November Business Meeting
The November business meeting will be held on Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
September Business Meeting
The September business meeting will be held on Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
August Hands-On POTA Activation
This month’s in-person gathering will be at Belle Haven Park. We'll go over how to get set-up for portable operations, from setting up antennas, getting your station on the air, and with luck, how to work a pile-up as we activate 7 parks at once for Parks On The Air (POTA). Also, we'll be running a full 100 W station on battery power and the band conditions have been favorable recently. This should be a lot of fun.
If you've ever had interest in doing portable operations but weren't sure how to get started, come out and join us. There will be Extra Class licensees on hand, so if you're a Technician (or even unlicensed) and want to see what it is like to operate on the HF bands, this will be a fun way to dip your toe into the world of HF.
After the club breakfast we’ll try to find a picnic table to set up on the North side of the Belle Haven Park between the water and the bike path. You may want to bring a camp chair if you have one just in case tables are limited on what is looking to be a beautiful morning. We'll activate with our club call K4US, and if you have a call of your own we can add it to the operator log so you'll get credit for your part of the activation, too. Family, friends, and the ham-curious are welcome to join in the fun as well.
Even if you don't want to operate, come out and have fun with us on the banks of the Potomac River at Belle Haven Park. The park is located just South of Alexandria City on the George Washington Memorial Parkway with the entrance between Belle Haven Road and Belle View Boulevard. When you make the turn to the park, make your first left for the parking lots (not the Marina) and park wherever you can. We'll probably be down on the North end of the lots, but that will depend on what tables are still available when we arrive. There are restrooms, water fountains and bottle filling stations in the park and plenty of antenna supports ... you may call them trees, as well. An area map is below. We'll also try to have an HT or two on hand to monitor the club's repeater for anyone that needs talk-in.
If you're not able to join us but will be near a radio look for us on the spotting page at https://pota.app/ -- we'll be using the call sign K4US and the page will have our current frequency so you can contact us while we're out in the park.
August Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 23 August at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
August Business Meeting
The August business meeting will be held on Thursday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
July Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 26 July at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
Field Day 2025
The Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club (MVARC) invites the public to join its annual participation in ARRL Field Day, the largest on-air amateur radio event in the U.S., from 2 p.m. Saturday, June 28 to 2p.m. Sunday, June 29 at the George Washington Rec Center (8426 Old Mount Vernon Rd, Alexandria, VA 22309).
Hosted nationwide by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Field Day is both a competitive exercise and a public demonstration of emergency communication capabilities. Each June, more than 40,000 amateur radio operators—or “hams”—set up temporary stations in parks, schools, and public spaces to showcase ham radio’s ability to function without cellular networks or the internet.
“Field Day is a fantastic opportunity for our members, especially new hams, to sharpen their skills and gain hands-on experience,” says Corey Law, MVARC President. “Our mission is to build lasting technical skills within our club and provide valuable public service. This event brings that to life.”
“Setting up radios in the field teaches us how to communicate when traditional systems fail,” MVARC Treasurer Ed Cabic adds. “Plus, it’s just fun—there’s something uniquely satisfying about making contacts across the country with only a radio and a wire.”
The public is encouraged to visit the site between 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday to meet local operators, learn about amateur radio, and try the equipment firsthand. Club members will offer demonstrations, answer questions, and explain how ham radio plays a critical role in community emergency response.
Throughout the weekend, MVARC will post updates and photos on its Facebook page at facebook.com/MountVernonARC.
For over a century, amateur radio has empowered individuals to explore electronics and serve their communities by providing backup communication during emergencies. Today, more than 750,000 people in the U.S. hold active licenses. MVARC supports new operators with fellowship and mentorship in the Northern Virginia area.
Event At A Glance
What: ARRL Field Day, hosted by Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club
Public Welcome: Saturday, June 24, 2 p.m. – Sunday, June 25, 2 p.m.
Where: Field next to George Washington Rec Center
8426 Old Mount Vernon Rd, Alexandria, VA 22309
Info: mvarc.org | facebook.com/MountVernonARC
About Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club
The Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club (MVARC) promotes amateur radio through education, hands-on training, and public service. Based in Northern Virginia, the club supports emergency preparedness efforts and fosters community engagement through technical outreach and volunteerism.
June Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 28 June at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
June Business Meeting
The June business meeting will be held on Thursday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
May Business Meeting
The May business meeting will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
April Saturday Club Meeting
Location: Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parker Lane, Alexandria, VA, 22309, Room 119
Topic: Andy K1RA, will be discussing "Multi-band, Multi-Mode Digital Decoding and Reporting Using SDRs". Andy runs one of the biggest SDR based listening stations in our area, reporting data to the Reverse Beacon Network and providing web-based Software Defined Radios as a service to the community.
This is a hybrid meeting. Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the meeting link.
April Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 26 April at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
April Business Meeting & Officers Elections
The April business meeting will be held on Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will include our annual officers election and will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
MARCH Saturday Club Meeting
Location: Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parker Lane, Alexandria, VA, 22309, Room 119
Topic: Ed, N2EC, will present on Battery Power for Portable Operations. He’ll cover different battery chemistries and how to choose what is right for you, how to size a battery system for the operation you're looking to execute, and various options available both from an off-the-shelf perspective and DIY. Since we're getting into the pleasant weather months, this might be useful for folks wanting to get out in the field and also for those who want to get a better handle of the options available on the market today.
This is a hybrid meeting. Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the meeting link.
March Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 22 March at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
March Business Meeting
The March business meeting will be held on Thursday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a VIRTUAL meeting. The short business meeting will be followed by our weekly informal meet up for those who stick around.
Please email social@mvarc.org to obtain the virtual meeting link.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.
February Saturday Club Meeting
Location: Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parker Lane, Alexandria, VA, 22309, Room 119
Topic: Gordon Miller, NQ4K, and SPARC president, is will be giving a virtual presentation about the Virginia QSO Party.
This is a hybrid meeting. Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the meeting link.
FEBRUARY Club Breakfast
Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 22 February at 8 a.m. at IHOP (Mount Vernon Plaza) 7694 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306.
VIRTUAL MEET UP
Join MVARC for an informal virtual meet up. No Ham radio topics are off-limits.
Members, check the reflector for an email with the Google Meet link.
Not a member? Email social@mvarc.org to obtain the link to join us.