Monroe County
By the numbers: about 139,342 residents (2023 U.S. Census estimate) · 388 licensed amateur radio operators — 184 Technician, 119 General, 12 Advanced, 72 Extra, 1 Novice · 2 licensed club stations · 36 more licenses in the FCC's two-year renewal grace period (FCC licenses, by ZIP).
Since 2000: 316 licensed operators at the end of 2000, 388 today (high of 443 in 2020). Rebuilt from FCC license records, counting each licensee at their current address, so earlier years are approximate. Indiana licensing trends
Ham Radio Clubs
- Bloomington Amateur Radio Club (K9DIY): bloomingtonradio.club | Facebook | groups.io | QRZ
Meetings: Usually 1st Friday monthly at 7:00 PM (the club occasionally moves a date or a location for weather or scheduling, and marks the change on its meeting schedule) — First United Church (Roger Williams Hall), 2420 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN; also on ZoomEveryone is invited, member or not.
Also: A monthly social gathering, "Hams & Eggs", on a Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 AM at Cloverleaf South, 325 E Winslow Rd, Bloomington — the club announces which Saturday rather than publishing a recurrence.
As the club publishes it at bloomingtonradio.club, checked September 27, 2026.
License exams: 1st Saturday monthly at 12:00 noon — First United Church, 2420 E Third St, Bloomington, IN (the club's testing page says the first Saturday of each month while its news page announced a session on the second Saturday, and the same page both names this venue and says to contact the club for current locations — check with the club before you go). Coordinated through the ARRL VEC. $15.
Walk-ins are fine. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early to fill out the paperwork.
Classes: The club teaches an intensive Technician course and an Amateur Extra cram course, each over two days at a Monroe County Public Library branch, with three instructors who are also volunteer examiners. The club says the Extra cram course is free and the Technician course carries no tuition; a refundable deposit is asked for the loaned manual, and the $15 exam fee and the FCC's $35 licensing fee are separate. None for the Technician course beyond age 10 and instruction in English; the Extra course asks that you already hold a Technician license, and preferably a General. Places are limited and are taken by email. The class page carries dates from more than one year at once, so ask the club which course is next rather than reading a date off it.
As the club publishes it on bloomingtonradio.club — exams and classes — checked September 21, 2026.
Repeater(s): 146.640 MHz (−, PL 136.5) FM, Bloomington (WB9TLH)
- Southern Indiana Amateur Radio Association (SIARA) (N9SIA): Facebook | 73siara@gmail.com | QRZ
Meetings: 3rd Friday monthly, 6:00–8:00 PM — IU Innovation Center, Room 105, 2711 E 10th St, Bloomington, IN
- Bloomington High School South Amateur Radio Club (K9SOU): k9sou.org
Meetings: Thursdays, 3:00–4:00 PM — Room A317, Bloomington High School SouthEveryone is welcome.
As the club publishes it at k9sou.org, checked September 27, 2026.
A high school club. Its site records World Champion finishes in the Fall School Club Roundup and a long run of state championships; the pages have not been updated for several years, so contact the club before relying on a schedule there.
- Amateur Radio Club at Indiana University (K9IU): k9iu.org | k9iu@indiana.edu | QRZ
Meetings: last Sunday of the Month at 7:00pm
As the club publishes it at k9iu.org, checked September 27, 2026.
Repeaters
9 amateur radio repeaters are located in Monroe County on the 2m and 70cm and 33cm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146.640 | -0.6 | 136.5 | FM | Bloomington WB9TLH | Bloomington Amateur Radio Club (K9DIY) |
| 146.94 | -0.6 | — | D-STAR | Bloomington | IU ARC |
| 147.18 | +0.6 | 136.5 | FM/Fusion | Bloomington | IU ARC |
| 441.225 | +5.0 | 136.5 | FM/Fusion | Bloomington | K9UR |
| 442.825 | +5.0 | 136.5 | FM | Bloomington | IU ARC |
| 443.05 | +5.0 | 136.5 | FM/Fusion/D-STAR/DMR/NXDN | Kirksville | WB9TLH |
| 443.775 | +5.0 | 136.5 | FM | Bloomington | KB9SGN |
| 444.9 | +5.0 | — | Fusion/D-STAR/NXDN | Bloomington | IU ARC |
| 927.025 | -25.0 | 136.5 | FM/P25 | Bloomington | W9WIN |
View Monroe County on RepeaterBookBrowse all Indiana repeaters
Emergency Communications
Monroe County is part of Indiana ARES District 8 (which mirrors IDHS District 8). Learn how amateur radio supports emergencies in Indiana — ARES, RACES, and Skywarn — on our EmComm page.
County emergency management
Monroe County's emergency management agency plans for disasters and coordinates the local response. For current contact information, visit the Monroe 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
Monroe County is in Indiana ARES District 8. The ARRL Indiana Section's monthly report notes whether each ARES leadership position is filled or vacant.
- County Emergency Coordinator: not listed as filled or vacant; Monroe County ARES sent in its own update for the February 2026 report.
- District 8 Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the September 2025 report.
To join ARES in Monroe County, 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
Monroe County's spotter training comes from the NWS Indianapolis office. Spotter classes are usually held from late winter into early spring, and each county's emergency management agency arranges its local class. NWS Indianapolis 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 Monroe County come from National Weather Service Indianapolis, IN. Local radar: station KIND.
Nets
6 nets meet in Monroe County, and more are within range from the counties around it — a repeater does not stop at the county line. See the nets near Monroe County, searchable by ZIP code and distance, along with the statewide HF nets.
📅 Put this county in your calendar.indianahamradio.com/calendars/monroe.ics is a subscribable calendar of Monroe 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
Monroe County borders 6 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/monroe.json · about the data