Owen County
By the numbers: about 21,532 residents (2023 U.S. Census estimate) · 88 licensed amateur radio operators — 52 Technician, 18 General, 3 Advanced, 15 Extra · 3 licensed club stations · 14 more licenses in the FCC's two-year renewal grace period (FCC licenses, by ZIP).
Since 2000: 78 licensed operators at the end of 2000, 88 today (high of 105 in 2021). Rebuilt from FCC license records, counting each licensee at their current address, so earlier years are approximate. Indiana licensing trends
Ham Radio Clubs
- Owen County Amateur Radio Association (K9QZX): kc9oww@gmail.com | QRZ
Meetings: 3rd Saturday monthly at 9:00 AM — Spencer Christian Church, 157 S Montgomery St, Spencer, IN
Repeater(s): 146.985 MHz (−0.6, PL 136.5) FM, Spencer
Repeaters
3 amateur radio repeaters are located in Owen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146.895 | -0.6 | 136.5 | FM | Gosport | KB9SGN |
| 146.985 | -0.6 | 136.5 | FM | Spencer | Owen County Amateur Radio Association (K9QZX) |
| 443.2 | +5.0 | 100.0 | FM/Fusion | Gosport | Southern Gateway Radio League |
View Owen County on RepeaterBookBrowse all Indiana repeaters
Emergency Communications
Owen County is part of Indiana ARES District 7 (which mirrors IDHS District 7). Learn how amateur radio supports emergencies in Indiana — ARES, RACES, and Skywarn — on our EmComm page.
County emergency management
Owen County's emergency management agency plans for disasters and coordinates the local response. For current contact information, visit the Owen 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
Owen County is in Indiana ARES District 7. The ARRL Indiana Section's monthly report notes whether each ARES leadership position is filled or vacant.
- County Emergency Coordinator: no status given in recent Section reports.
- District 7 Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the September 2025 report.
To join ARES in Owen 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
Owen 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 Owen County come from National Weather Service Indianapolis, IN. Local radar: station KIND.
Nets
2 nets meet in Owen County, and more are within range from the counties around it — a repeater does not stop at the county line. See the nets near Owen County, searchable by ZIP code and distance, along with the statewide HF nets.
📅 Put this county in your calendar.indianahamradio.com/calendars/owen.ics is a subscribable calendar of Owen 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
Owen County borders 5 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/owen.json · about the data