Blackford County
By the numbers: about 11,893 residents (2023 U.S. Census estimate) · 30 licensed amateur radio operators — 11 Technician, 14 General, 5 Extra · 1 licensed club station · 8 more licenses in the FCC's two-year renewal grace period (FCC licenses, by ZIP).
Since 2000: 22 licensed operators at the end of 2000, 30 today (high of 40 in 2006). Rebuilt from FCC license records, counting each licensee at their current address, so earlier years are approximate. Indiana licensing trends
Ham Radio Clubs
- Blackford Amateur Radio Club (K9VND): blackfordarc.org | K9VND@arrl.net | info@blackfordarc.org | Facebook Group
Meetings: 3rd Monday monthly at 6:00 PM — Montpelier Police Department, Montpelier, IN
Net: Blackford ARC NET (Wednesday, 8:30 PM ET, 146.655 MHz (-, PL 141.3), FM). All nets
The club operates the 146.655 MHz (−0.6, PL 141.3) repeater in Hartford City.
Repeater(s): 146.655 MHz (−0.6, PL 141.3) FM, Hartford City
License exams: Montpelier (Technician, General, and Extra class license exams).
Register in advance to secure a testing slot.
As the club publishes it on blackfordarc.org — exams — checked September 21, 2026.
Repeaters
4 amateur radio repeaters are located in Blackford County on the 2m and 70cm bands. Machines in bordering counties are often reachable too — see the full directory. A dash means we don’t have that detail on file; check with the sponsoring club before you rely on it.
| Frequency | Offset | Tone | Mode | Location | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146.655 | -0.6 | 141.3 | FM | Hartford City | Blackford Amateur Radio Club (K9VND) |
| 146.925 | -0.6 | 141.3 | FM | Hartford City | WB9HLA |
| 441.475 | +5.0 | — | DMR | Montpelier | N9CZV |
| 443.575 | +5.0 | 127.3 | FM/Fusion | Hartford City | WB9HLA |
View Blackford County on RepeaterBookBrowse all Indiana repeaters
Emergency Communications
Blackford County is part of Indiana ARES District 6 (which mirrors IDHS District 6). Learn how amateur radio supports emergencies in Indiana — ARES, RACES, and Skywarn — on our EmComm page.
County emergency management
Blackford County's emergency management agency plans for disasters and coordinates the local response. For current contact information, visit the Blackford County emergency management website.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security keeps a directory of every county's agency: IDHS county EMA directory (website link as listed there on October 26, 2026).
ARES
Blackford County is in Indiana ARES District 6. The ARRL Indiana Section's monthly report notes whether each ARES leadership position is filled or vacant.
- County Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the January 2026 report.
- District 6 Emergency Coordinator: filled, according to the July 2025 report.
To join ARES in Blackford County or ask about volunteering as its Emergency Coordinator, find current Section leadership contacts on the ARRL Indiana Section page and the Section's emergency communications page. The ARRL also explains how ARES works.
Role status from Indiana Section News (latest issue June 2026), checked October 27, 2026. Each line uses the most recent report that mentions the position.
RACES and AUXCOMM
- Licensed amateurs anywhere in Indiana can volunteer with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security's auxiliary communications team: about IDHS AUXCOMM · volunteer interest form
Skywarn spotter training
Blackford County's spotter training comes from the NWS Northern Indiana office. The page lists the season's classes, and the office can send a training certificate after you attend. NWS Northern Indiana spotter training
The information on this page may not be fully up to date. If you notice anything incorrect or missing, please email campbell@indianahamradio.com with the correction. Club officers: email the same address with your club's meeting, net, event or website changes, and we will update this page.
National Weather Service office
Severe-weather watches and warnings for Blackford County come from National Weather Service Northern Indiana. Local radar: station KIWX.
Nets
One net meets in Blackford County, and more are within range from the counties around it — a repeater does not stop at the county line. See the nets near Blackford County, searchable by ZIP code and distance, along with the statewide HF nets.
📅 Put this county in your calendar.indianahamradio.com/calendars/blackford.ics is a subscribable calendar of Blackford County’s nets, hamfests and exam sessions — subscribe once in Google, Apple or Outlook and it stays current on its own. Clubs without a calendar are welcome to hand it to their members as theirs.
Nearby counties
Blackford County borders 4 other counties. Repeaters and clubs just across the line are usually well within range, so it is worth checking them too:
Everything on this page as JSON: /data/counties/blackford.json · about the data