About

The Charleston Amateur Radio Society is affiliated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), has about 170 members and is very active.  The communication needs of numerous events are supported by the club.  An example of this is the Cooper River Bridge Run & Walk.  Of course, the club also participates in major ham radio events like Field Day.

The club maintains several area voice repeaters which are linked on a 24/7 basis and several digis for the support of APRS in the area. Our main club station, WA4USN, is located on the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown at Patriots Point. Also located at Patriots Point is the submarine, USS Clamagore, which has club station NJ4DU and the destroyer, USS Laffey, which has club station NT4HI.

As an ARRL afiliated club, we also sponsor the DuBose Middle School Amateur Radio Club (K4DMS) as an ARRL “Big Project” school. This initiative began in 2004, building upon the momentum gained subsequent to a successful ARISS contact from the school that was facilitated by club volunteers in March of 2004.

The club meets the second Monday of each month at a local restaurant. These meetings allow members to discuss club matters and to conduct club business while enjoying fellowship over a good meal. Our December meeting is the annual Christmas Party. See the CARS Meeting page for details.

The minutes of the monthly meetings are printed in our monthly newsletter, CARS Carrier. You can obtain a copy of the latest newsletter here, or if you are a member of CARS, through email or a hard copy through regular mail.

Once a year CARS hosts a very successful hamfest. There are several forums you can enjoy and there are great prizes to win. Of course, it’s a good opportunity to buy and sell equipment or to have an eyeball QSO with fellow hams you met on the air. Out-of-towners come and stay for the weekend and enjoy the hamfest along with the sights of Charleston.

The club organizes licensing classes quite frequently. These classes help you pass the necessary exams to become an amateur radio operator, or to upgrade to a higher license class. If you are interested in attending one of these classes, E-mail CARS and you will be contacted the next time there are enough potential students to have a class.

QSL direct to:
PO Box 70341
Charleston, SC 29415
Include SASE or two green stamps.
WA4USN is also on Logbook of the World.