Amateur radio lets you communicate across town or around the world, learn practical radio skills, experiment with equipment and digital modes, and serve your community when communications matter most. If you already have a license, come operate with us. If you do not, we will help you get started. Explore the calendar, visit an event, or join SARC and become part of a friendly, hands-on local radio community.
SARC FIELD DAY 2026
Join us for the world’s largest on-air operating event
Want to try out ham radio? We can get you on the air! No license is required. Our ham radio coaches will be available to walk you through the process of talking with someone else over the radio. With more than 30,000 stations on the air for Field Day, there’s no shortage of people to talk to. It only takes a few minutes, and you’ll be hooked!
SARC Field Day 2026 Details
Schedule:
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- Event: SARC Field Day 2026
- 24 hour on-air time: 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026 to 1:00 p.m. Sunday, June 28, 2026
- Public on-air time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026
- Location: St. Peter Lutheran Church, 202 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60194
- Parking: Park in the northernmost lot. SARC will be in the North Field.
- Saturday setup: Club members: Starts at 8:30 AM
- Information and signup: SARC Field Day 2026 page
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Just look for the GOTA tent (Get On The Air)
Learn More About Field Day
Getting Started | Signup Now!
Maidenhead EN Ham Radio Ground Performance
For early June 2026, the official space-weather picture is usable but variable rather than quiet-stable. NOAA SWPC’s June 4 forecast expected low-to-moderate solar activity, with chances for R1–R2 radio blackouts from active regions, and active to G1 geomagnetic conditions with a minor chance of stronger disturbance. SWPC defines R1 as weak/minor HF degradation on the sunlit side. The smoothed June 2026 solar-cycle forecast also remained elevated, with a predicted sunspot number near 101.3 and F10.7 near 126.3, which is still favorable for daytime F-region support on 20–10 meters compared with solar-minimum years.
The soil side of the problem is at least as important as the sky side for verticals and ground-mounted antennas. USDA/NASS data for the week ending May 31, 2026 showed that parts of the eastern-northern Midwest were drying quickly even without widespread formal drought: Illinois topsoil in the “very short + short” categories was 33%, Michigan 28%, Minnesota 35%, and Wisconsin 34%, while Ohio was still only 1% and Indiana 15%. CPC’s June outlook simultaneously favored subnormal precipitation across the Great Lakes and adjacent areas, and CPC’s hazards outlook flagged rapid-onset drought possible for parts of the Upper/Middle Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and Great Lakes region.
Read Full Article: Maidenhead EN Ham Radio Performance and Ground
SARC in the Park Kicks Off Another Outdoor Operating Season
The radios came out, the antennas went up, and SARC’s outdoor operating season is officially on the air! SARC in the Park kicked off May 9 with sunshine, portable stations, creative antenna setups, and plenty of hands-on ham radio energy. From go-boxes and batteries to POTA contacts reaching across the country, this opening session showed exactly why operating outdoors is one of the best ways to learn, experiment, and have fun with amateur radio. Read the full recap and see how SARC started the season strong.
SARC Construction Project | Operation Meshtastic
The SARC Construction Project refers to a recurring activity organized by the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC) where members build various radio-related electronic kits and projects.
During the warmer months (spring and summer), this indoor workshop is typically replaced by SARC in the Park, where members move their activities outdoors to test portable radios, antennas, and “go-boxes”. Read: Operation Meshtastic
