Indiana Ham Radio Projects & Activities
Amateur radio in Indiana is far more than a license on the wall. Across the state, hams chase contacts in statewide contests, activate parks, build and link repeater systems, stand up emergency communications, mentor students, and gather for Field Day every June. This page highlights ongoing projects and activities you can join right now — whether you have an HF rig, a handheld, or just curiosity. Most of these are open to newcomers, and many welcome help. Pick something that interests you and dive in.
Contesting & On-the-Air Operating
Indiana QSO Party (INQP)
The Indiana QSO Party is the annual statewide contest in which stations around the world try to work as many Indiana stations — and Indiana counties — as they can, while Indiana stations work everyone. It is a friendly, beginner-welcoming event and a great way to put your county "on the air." INQP is sponsored by the Hoosier DX and Contest Club and is held annually (typically the first full weekend of May); check the official site each year for the exact dates and current rules.
Learn more: Indiana QSO Party (hdxcc.org/inqp) · INQP Rules
Contesting & DX — Hoosier DX and Contest Club
The Hoosier DX and Contest Club (HDXCC) is a central-Indiana club dedicated to chasing DX (distant stations) and competing in radio contests. Beyond sponsoring the Indiana QSO Party, the club is a home for operators who enjoy serious contesting, station building, and working rare countries. New and aspiring contesters are welcome.
Learn more: Hoosier DX and Contest Club (hdxcc.org)
Contest Calendars & Score Posting
Planning which contests to enter — from the Indiana QSO Party to the big international events — is easy once you know where to look. The ARRL Contest Calendar lists ARRL-sponsored events for years ahead, and 3830scores.com is where operators post their claimed scores and compare results after almost every contest, including INQP. The CQ World Wide DX Contest is the largest amateur radio competition on the planet and a great stretch goal once you have a few contests under your belt.
Learn more: ARRL Contest Calendar · 3830scores.com · CQ World Wide DX Contest
Parks on the Air (POTA)
Parks on the Air is a hugely popular activity in which operators set up portable stations in state and federal parks ("activators") and others around the world try to contact them ("hunters"). Indiana is full of eligible parks, and a few hours outdoors with a radio is one of the most fun and accessible ways to get on the air. See our POTA page for Indiana parks, maps, and how to get started.
Learn more: Parks on the Air (parksontheair.com)
Outdoor & Portable Operating — SOTA & WWFF
If you enjoy POTA, two related programs reward getting outdoors with a radio. Summits on the Air (SOTA) sends operators to mountain and hilltop summits, while World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF) focuses on protected nature reserves and parks worldwide. All three "on the air" programs share the same low-power, portable spirit and pair perfectly with the modes and gear covered on our Digital Modes page.
Learn more: Summits on the Air (SOTA) · World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF)
Repeaters, Linking & Digital Networks
Indiana hams maintain extensive linked repeater systems and digital voice networks that let you talk across the state — and sometimes around the world — from a handheld. These systems are ongoing volunteer projects that always need operators, net controllers, and helping hands.
W9WIN Linked Repeater System
A linked analog repeater system serving southern Indiana, tying together repeaters so a single transmission is heard across a wide area.
West Central Indiana Amateur Radio (WC9IN)
A linked repeater and club network covering west-central Indiana, with regular nets and an active membership.
IDHR & Crossroads DMR
Indiana Digital Ham Radio (IDHR) documents Indiana's DMR networks, including the Indiana-based Crossroads DMR network and its statewide talkgroups, plus D-STAR and System Fusion activity. It is the go-to reference for getting on digital voice in Indiana.
Indiana Digital Ham Radio (idhr.info) · Crossroads DMR Network
For an overview of Indiana repeaters and how to find one near you, see Repeaters; for getting started on DMR, D-STAR, FT8, and more, see Digital Modes.
Emergency Communications
When the power, phones, and internet fail, Indiana hams keep information moving. Through ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service), and Skywarn storm spotting, operators support emergency management, the National Weather Service, and other served agencies statewide. The ARRL Indiana Section organizes ARES into districts that align with Indiana's homeland-security districts and runs regular training and on-the-air nets. This is one of the most rewarding ways to put your license to public service.
Learn more: EmComm · ARRL Indiana Section (inarrl.org) · Indiana Section EmComm
ARRL Field Day
Field Day is amateur radio's biggest annual on-the-air event in North America. Held the fourth full weekend of June, clubs and groups all across Indiana set up temporary stations — often on emergency or portable power — to make as many contacts as possible over 24 hours. It is part contest, part emergency-preparedness exercise, and part open house, and it is the single best weekend to visit a local club, see radios in action, and even get on the air yourself, no license required to listen and learn.
Learn more: ARRL Field Day · find a club near you hosting a Field Day site.
Winter Field Day
Winter Field Day takes the Field Day idea into the cold. Held the last full weekend of January, it challenges operators and clubs to set up and operate in winter conditions — valuable practice for the kind of weather an emergency might bring. It is smaller and more relaxed than June Field Day, which makes it another welcoming on-ramp for newer operators, and many Indiana clubs take part.
Learn more: Winter Field Day Association · EmComm · Clubs
Special Events & Award Programs
Beyond contests and field events, the amateur radio calendar is full of annual special events and chase-style award programs that are fun to work from Indiana. Each is a low-pressure way to make memorable contacts and, in many cases, earn a certificate.
13 Colonies Special Event
Each July, special-event stations representing the original thirteen American colonies (plus bonus stations) flood the bands, and chasers try to work all of them for a "clean sweep" certificate. It is a popular, beginner-friendly operating event around Independence Day.
International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend (ILLW)
Held the third full weekend of August, ILLW puts hundreds of stations on the air from lighthouses and lightships around the world. Groups set up at a historic light, often as a portable or club outing, and others chase the activations — a nice blend of operating and preservation.
International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend (illw.net)
County Hunting
County hunters work toward contacting all 3,077 U.S. counties for the USA-CA award — which makes Indiana's 92 counties prized contacts. Putting your own county "on the air," especially a rare one, is a great way to draw a pileup, and it pairs naturally with the Indiana QSO Party.
County Hunter / USA-CA Award (countyhunter.com)
Amateur Satellites (AMSAT)
You can make contacts through orbiting amateur radio satellites — sometimes with nothing more than a handheld and a small antenna. AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, builds and supports these spacecraft and publishes the pass schedules and operating guides that make satellite work approachable. It is one of the most exciting "wow" moments in the hobby, and a natural next step after exploring the digital and FM modes used on the birds.
Learn more: AMSAT (amsat.org)
Citizen Science — HamSCI
HamSCI (Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation) connects amateur radio with real scientific research, especially studies of the ionosphere and space weather. Hams contribute data and take part in coordinated experiments, turning everyday on-the-air activity into a contribution to science — a perfect fit for the STEM-minded.
Learn more: HamSCI (hamsci.org)
Traffic Nets & the National Traffic System
Indiana operators take part in traffic nets that practice passing formal written messages ("radiograms") as part of the ARRL National Traffic System (NTS) — a skill that matters most during emergencies. There are also ragchew, ARES, and Skywarn nets that meet on a regular schedule. Checking into a net is one of the easiest ways for a new ham to get comfortable on the air.
Learn more: Nets · ARRL National Traffic System (NTS)
Hamfests & Conventions
Hamfests are the swap meets, flea markets, and conventions of amateur radio. Indiana hosts several throughout the year, where you can buy and sell gear, attend forums, take a license exam, and meet operators from across the region. They are a highlight of the Indiana ham calendar.
Learn more: Hamfests
Youth, STEM & Education
Amateur radio is a powerful hands-on way to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Several ongoing programs bring radio into schools and youth groups, and Indiana clubs frequently take part. The ARRL Indiana Section also promotes youth and STEM outreach across the state.
Learn more: ARRL Indiana Section (inarrl.org)
School Club Roundup
A twice-yearly operating event (typically held in the fall and again in the winter) that gets school and college clubs on the air in a friendly, contest-style format — an ideal first activity for student stations.
Jamboree on the Air (JOTA)
JOTA is the annual event (typically the third weekend in October) in which Scouts around the world talk to one another by amateur radio, with hams loaning their stations and expertise. Indiana clubs often partner with local Scout units.
ARRL Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) · Scouting America JOTA (scouting.org)
ARISS — Contacts with the Space Station
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station arranges scheduled contacts between students and astronauts aboard the ISS, inspiring careers in STEM. Schools and groups can apply to host a contact.
ARISS-USA · ARISS School Clubs
Repeater Coordination
The Indiana Repeater Council (IRC) is the recognized frequency coordinator for amateur repeaters in Indiana. Serving Indiana amateurs since 1971, the all-volunteer council issues frequency recommendations that help repeater owners avoid harmful interference and operate reliably statewide. Coordination is the often-invisible work that keeps Indiana's repeater bands usable.
Learn more: Indiana Repeater Council (ircinc.org)
Get Involved / Suggest a Project
This is just a snapshot — Indiana ham radio is always buzzing with more activity than any one page can capture. The best next step is to connect with a local club, where you will find people happy to help you get started with any of the projects above. See our clubs directory to find a group near you, or jump straight to POTA, Digital Modes, EmComm, Nets, and Hamfests.
Know of an ongoing Indiana project, net, or event that belongs here? Please send us a note and we will take a look.