Porter County
By the numbers: about 175,335 residents (2023 U.S. Census estimate) · 373 licensed amateur radio operators — 167 Technician, 92 General, 12 Advanced, 101 Extra, 1 Novice · 7 licensed club stations · 42 more licenses in the FCC's two-year renewal grace period (FCC licenses, by ZIP).
Since 2000: 335 licensed operators at the end of 2000, 373 today (high of 391 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
- Porter County Amateur Radio Club (K9PC): k9pc.club | bod@k9pc.club | Facebook | QRZ
Meetings: 2nd Friday monthly, 7:00–9:00 PM (the club says it meets on the 2nd Friday of most months, and moves the September meeting to the 3rd Friday) — MAAC Foundation First Responder Training Campus, 4203 Montdale Dr, Valparaiso, IN 46383Visitors are welcome, and no RSVP is needed.
As the club publishes it at k9pc.club, checked September 27, 2026.
Net: Porter County Amateur Radio Club Net (146.775 MHz (-0.6, PL 131.8); 442.250 MHz (+5, DMR CC 15), FM). All nets
Repeater(s): 146.775 MHz (PL 131.8) FM; 442.250 MHz (PL 131.8) FM
License exams: The club's VE testing page has the details.
As the club publishes it on k9pc.club — exams — checked September 21, 2026.
- Ogden Dunes Amateur Radio Club (K9ODF): odarc.org
Works with the Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department on event and emergency communications. The club reports its repeaters run on battery backup and can be linked over AllStarLink in an emergency, and that a VHF repeater is being brought online.
Repeater(s): 443.000 MHz (PL 173.8) FM, Ogden Dunes (KD9NSC)
Repeaters
13 amateur radio repeaters are located in Porter County on the 10m and 6m and 2m and 1.25m and 70cm and 33cm and 23cm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.64 | — | 173.8 | FM | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 53.57 | -1.0 | 173.8 | FM | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 146.685 | -0.6 | 173.8 | FM | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 146.775 | -0.6 | 131.8 | FM | Valparaiso | Porter County Amateur Radio Club (K9PC) |
| 147.105 | +0.6 | — | DMR/P25 | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 224.28 | -1.6 | 131.8 | FM | Valparaiso | KC9YNM |
| 440.95 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM/Fusion | Portage | POIARC |
| 441.575 | +5.0 | — | DMR | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 442.250 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Valparaiso | Porter County Amateur Radio Club (K9PC) |
| 442.35 | +5.0 | 131.8 | FM | Hebron | N9TAX |
| 443.000 | — | 173.8 | FM | Ogden Dunes KD9NSC | Ogden Dunes Amateur Radio Club (K9ODF) |
| 927.0375 | -25.0 | 173.8 | FM | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
| 1292.5 | — | 173.8 | FM | Valparaiso | N9IAA |
Unconfirmed listings
This machine is 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 444.675 | +5 | 97.4 | Burns Harbor | KB9MMV | Unconfirmed — listed on ARTSCIPUB only |
View Porter County on RepeaterBookBrowse all Indiana repeaters
Emergency Communications
Porter 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
Porter County's emergency management agency plans for disasters and coordinates the local response. For current contact information, visit the Porter 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
Porter 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: not listed as filled or vacant; Porter County ARES sent in its own update for the March 2026 report.
- District 1 Emergency Coordinator: vacant, according to the October 2025 report.
To join ARES in Porter 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
Porter 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 Porter County come from National Weather Service Chicago, IL. Local radar: station KLOT.
Nets
2 nets meet in Porter County, and more are within range from the counties around it — a repeater does not stop at the county line. See the nets near Porter County, searchable by ZIP code and distance, along with the statewide HF nets.
📅 Put this county in your calendar.indianahamradio.com/calendars/porter.ics is a subscribable calendar of Porter 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
Porter 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/porter.json · about the data