Lake County
By the numbers: about 500,598 residents (2023 U.S. Census estimate) · 595 licensed amateur radio operators — 274 Technician, 160 General, 22 Advanced, 131 Extra, 8 Novice · 5 licensed club stations · 59 more licenses in the FCC's two-year renewal grace period (FCC licenses, by ZIP).
Since 2000: 677 licensed operators at the end of 2000, 595 today. Rebuilt from FCC license records, counting each licensee at their current address, so earlier years are approximate. Indiana licensing trends
Ham Radio Clubs
- Lake County Amateur Radio Club (W9LJ): www.w9lj.org | W9LJ@arrl.net | Facebook | QRZ
Meetings: 3rd Friday monthly at 7:00 PM — Lake County Dept of Homeland Security, 2900 W 93rd Ave, Crown Point, INVisitors are always welcome to attend.
Repeater(s): 147.000 MHz (+0.6, PL 131.8) FM, Merrillville; 442.075 MHz (+5, PL 131.8) FM, Merrillville; 147.240 MHz (+0.6, PL 131.8) FM, St. John
Events
Repeaters
17 amateur radio repeaters are located in Lake County on the 2m and 1.25m 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 145.45 | -0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Crown Point | W9FXT |
| 146.625 | -0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Gary | W9SAL |
| 146.7 | -0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Crown Point | LAKE EMA |
| 146.835 | -0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Cedar Lake | WB9VRG |
| 147.000 | +0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Merrillville | Lake County Amateur Radio Club (W9LJ) |
| 147.045 | +0.6 | 131.8 | FM | New Chicago | KA9QJG |
| 147.195 | +0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Hammond | IARA |
| 147.240 | +0.6 | 131.8 | FM | St. John | Lake County Amateur Radio Club (W9LJ) |
| 224 | -1.6 | 131.8 | FM | Munster | IARA |
| 224.74 | -1.6 | 131.8 | FM | New Chicago | KA9QJG |
| 442.075 | +5 | 131.8 | FM | Merrillville | Lake County Amateur Radio Club (W9LJ) |
| 442.2 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Hammond | W9FXT |
| 443.45 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Crown Point | LAKE EMA |
| 443.95 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Lowell | KA9OOI |
| 444.250 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Crown Point | Amateur Radio Association of Newton County Indiana (ARANCI) (KI9U) |
| 444.35 | +5.0 | — | DMR | Crown Point | N9IAA |
| 444.75 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | New Chicago | KA9QJG |
Unconfirmed listings
These machines are listed on ARTSCIPUB, a user-submitted directory, and nowhere else we can find — not in the Indiana Repeater Council’s records and not on a club’s own page. A listing may be years out of date, so treat each one as unconfirmed. Know one is on the air, gone, or different? Let us know, or have the sponsoring club say so on its website.
| Frequency | Offset | Tone | Location | Call | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146.91 | -0.6 | — | Gary | W9CTO | Unconfirmed — listed on ARTSCIPUB only |
| 442.75 | — | — | Gary | W9CTO | Unconfirmed — listed on ARTSCIPUB only |
View Lake County on RepeaterBookBrowse all Indiana repeaters
Emergency Communications
Lake County is part of Indiana ARES District 1 (which mirrors IDHS District 1). Learn how amateur radio supports emergencies in Indiana — ARES, RACES, and Skywarn — on our EmComm page.
County emergency management
Lake County's emergency management agency plans for disasters and coordinates the local response. For current contact information, visit the Lake 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
Lake County is in Indiana ARES District 1. The ARRL Indiana Section's monthly report notes whether each ARES leadership position is filled or vacant.
- County Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the September 2025 report.
- District 1 Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the October 2025 report.
To join ARES in Lake 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
Lake County's spotter training comes from the NWS Chicago office. Spring spotter classes are usually offered online; the schedule is on the page. NWS Chicago 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 Lake County come from National Weather Service Chicago, IL. Local radar: station KLOT.
Nets
No net is listed as meeting in Lake County, but nets in the surrounding counties are very likely in range — a repeater does not stop at the county line. See the nets near Lake County, searchable by ZIP code and distance, along with the statewide HF nets.
📅 Put this county in your calendar.indianahamradio.com/calendars/lake.ics is a subscribable calendar of Lake 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
Lake County borders 3 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/lake.json · about the data