National Weather Service offices in Detroit/Pontiac, Grand Rapids, Gaylord, and Marquette are partnering with Michigan SKYWARN amateur radio teams to conduct spring weather spotter training. Hams serve as the eyes and ears of meteorologists, providing real-time ground truth reports during severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and winter blizzards. Local VHF/UHF repeater networksContinue Reading

Michigan ARES and RACES teams have successfully deployed new VARA FM and packet gateways across the state, strengthening the Michigan Winlink Mesh network. This resilient digital network enables seamless email over radio capabilities during catastrophic infrastructure failures. With dedicated RMS gateways linked to emergency operations centers (EOCs) in Detroit, GrandContinue Reading

Amateur radio operators across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) have expanded regional HF and VHF traffic net coverage to ensure robust emergency communications across sparse rural areas and rugged terrain. The UP Emergency Net and local repeaters serve as critical lifelines when commercial telecommunications experience outages during severe winter storms. ClubsContinue Reading

ARRL Great Lakes Division leadership and the Michigan Section team have released their strategic objectives for the coming year. Priorities include upgrading section-wide emergency communications resilience, expanding youth radio clubs in Michigan high schools and universities, and bolstering membership engagement. Section leadership emphasized the importance of interoperability with state andContinue Reading

The Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club (HPARC) is gearing up for its highly anticipated annual Swapmeet, drawing amateur operators from across Southeast Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. The event features ham radio gear trading, technical presentations, and ARRL VEC license testing sessions. HPARC continues to lead in community involvement, operating high-availabilityContinue Reading