Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville Welcomes You!
RACK Meetings are every 3rd Thursday of the month at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church at 7pm
Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville Welcomes You!
The Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville (RACK) was founded in 1954 as a way
of promoting the interest of amateur radio operators in the Knoxville Tennessee area.
Join us for the Knoxville Hamfest 2025
We are the host
June 21
Doors open at 8AM
This annual ARRL-sanctioned convention is a must-attend for amateur radio enthusiasts
largest hamfest in Knoxville Tennessee!!!
The largest hamfest in Tennessee?
*Indoor vendors, exhibits, and HUGE FLAT outdoor tailgating area
*Hourly prizes
*Food
*VE testing provided by UTARC/ARRL at 1:00 PM (paper test; $15 fee, $5 for under 18)
VE Testing Sign-up will be at 12:30
*Talk will be available on 145.210 repeater T100.
*Dealer registration now open—reserve your spot now!
*Advanced ticket sales now $8
General admission $10 at the door. All are welcome.
You do not have to be an amateur radio operator to attend.
Grand prize drawings at 2:30PM
Please use the Scenicwood Dr off Merchants DR, on the west side of the church. RACK staff will be present to direct you to parking, tailgating, or vendor areas.
Click the KNOXVILLE HAMFEST button above for more vendor info and forms
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
View a Google Map here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SxPpQii2wPuxZcv16
June RACK Meeting
Thursday evening we will much discussion of our upcoming Knoxville Hamfest. It is only days away.
Paul has more details for Field day. It is June 21st, the weekend after our Hamfest.
Field Day 2025
Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville
Ham radio operators (FCC licensed Amateur radio operators) will gear-up to pursue long distance High Frequency (Shortwave) radio contacts and practice emergency communication skills at the top of Fort Dickerson City Park, June 28-29, 2025.
Knoxville area Hams will work around the clock to set up multiple field radio communication stations, get on the air, and attempt to contact other Ham radio operators as part of the annual American Radio Relay League’s (ARRL) Field Day event.
Paul has a media posting here that he is using to promote field day RACK Field Days
Thursday RACK meeting
WHEN:
Thursday, June 13, 2025, at 7pm
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
View a Google Map here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SxPpQii2wPuxZcv16
Directions once you arrive at the church: Drive around to the back parking lot and enter through the glass door. Walk straight ahead, up a ramp, then take the elevator up the 2nd floor. Exit, listen for a noisy group. That will be us.
Renew Your RACK Membership for 2025
It's not too late to renew your RACK membership or join as a new member!
Please use this link: Renew Your RACK Membership Info
Calendar of Events
Click here to view our calendar of events for 2025 and beyond: News/Calendar page
Classes for Technician Amateur Radio license
Technician License Class – Sign Up Today!
Interested in getting your ham radio license? Join the Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville for a free, in-person Technician License Class starting May 13, 2025, at the American Red Cross building in Knoxville.
Class Schedule:
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: 6921 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN
Required Book: ARRL Technician License Manual (5th Edition) – $25
Book must be purchased during registration
May 13 (Tue) Introduction to Ham Radio & Licensing Process
May 15 (Thu) Basic Radio Concepts & How Radios Work
May 20 (Tue) Radio Waves, Propagation & Antennas
May 22 (Thu) Electrical Principles, Components & Ohm’s Law
May 27 (Tue) NO CLASS – Room Unavailable
May 29 (Thu) Operating Procedures & Making Contacts
June 3 (Tue) Basic Electronics & Circuits
June 5 (Thu) Repeaters, Digital Modes, & RF Safety
June 10 (Tue) Rules, Regulations, & Band Plan
June 12 (Thu) Review & Practice Exam #1
June 17 (Tue) Hands-On Demonstrations & Q&A
June 19 (Thu) Final Review, Wrap-Up & Exam Instructions
June 21 (Sat) FCC Technician License Exam (1 PM)
Final Exam:
June 21, 2025 @ 1:00 PM at the RACK Hamfest
To register, visit:
use the Donate button link below to pay $25 for the book,
then Email KO4JJU@gmail.com with:
Name,
address,
and good contact phone number,
and I will get back with you.
Seats are limited and registration is only complete once book payment is received. Don’t miss this opportunity to get on the air and join the world of amateur radio!
May 2025
Our May RACK Meeting
Thursday evening we had much discussion of our upcoming Knoxville Hamfest. Its only about a month away.
Also Paul has more details for Field day. It is the weekend after our Hamfest.
Also we try to have a gift certificate to give away every couple of months. You must be present to qualify for it.
Larry Franklin, KC4ZOA is the winner for May!! $100 gift certificate
Also, Steven is leading a group of RACK members teaching a 'technician' level class. It has started. Talk to him about it Thursday night. Would you like for RACK to have a class for General?
Thursday RACK meeting
WHEN:
Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 7pm
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
April 2025
Our next RACK meeting
For our program this month, Steven,KO4JJU, and Will, KO4WIL, have an introduction to AllStarLink. This is a network of Amateur Radio repeaters, remote base stations and hot spots accessible to each other via Voice over Internet Protocol with over 38,000 ham radio users. Steven and Will always provide programs on interesting subjects, some that may not be common for all of us. So this will be a good opportunity.
WHEN:
Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 7pm
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
MARCH 2025
Our next RACK meeting
WHEN:
Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 7pm
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
FEBRUARY 2025
It is with a heavy heart, that I must inform all members of the Radio Amateurs Club of Knoxville, that as of 2-25-2025, Mr. Willard Sitton W4HZD, has become a silent key operator, and that the Amateur Radio community, as well as the world, itself has suffered an unimaginable loss, of such a wonderfully outstanding, and very loved, amazing individual.
Mr. Willard, we will miss your delightful presence, severely.
73,Sir.
KO4JLK
F. Kittrell
R.A.C.K. President
The obituary is at
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/knoxville-tn/willard-sitton-12263043
Our next RACK meeting
WHEN:
Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 7pm
WHERE:
Wallace Memorial Baptist Church
701 Merchants Dr.
Knoxville TN 37912
Renew Your RACK Membership for 2025
It's not too late to renew your RACK membership or join as a new member!
Please use this link: Renew Your RACK Membership Info
JANUARY 2025
Renew Your RACK Membership for 2025
It is time to join RACK or renew your membership for 2025. Please use this link: Renew Your RACK Membership Info
Check out all the new items for sale in January 2025!
Letter from RACK President
Good morning,operators!
Today is Monday December,30th…as you all know,this evening,@2100,the RACK Tech Net,will take place.Would anyone like to volunteer to serve as “Net Control”,for this historic weekly event? It is my belief,that full participation in any organizational event,tends to only enrich the organization,as well as act as a catalyst to other beneficial effects,too! …let’s all make the upcoming year (2025) a great success,
Thank you,All!
Best regards,
KO4JLK
Read past Letters from RACK Presidents here.
Recap of our 2024 Events
Join or update your membership to RACK
New RACK History Documents!
View the 1972 RACK HISTORY AND MEMBER LIST below:
Donate to RACK!
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