Legion radio club Veterans Day event

Since its inception in May 2011, The American Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC) has grown steadily to nearly 1,000 members, a statistic that club president Marty Justis (W9WMJ) expects to surpass before the end of the year.

"Nearly every day, more licensed radio amateurs who are members of the Legion family sign up online," Justis said. "Today, TALARC is one of the nation’s largest ham radio clubs."

The National Headquarters station, call sign K9TAL, will operate Nov. 11 as a "special event" station commemorating Veterans Day. Amateur radio operators from around the globe who contact the station can receive a special QSL card confirming the contact by sending a SASE.

"We will be on the air to thank our fellow veterans for their military service and participation in amateur radio," Justis said. "The station will operate from 9 a.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST from the club’s radio room, located in the basement of National Headquarters in Indianapolis."

TALARC members will operate on the 20 meter band at/near 14.270 MHz USB and CW (Morse Code) on the 15 meter band at/near 21.040 MHz. They will also work 146.46 MHz simplex for central Indiana contacts.

TALARC was established by Resolution 11 to encourage participation in amateur radio licensing and emergency communications. Many club members across the country participate in the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), working with local emergency management officials.

Any Legionnaire, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of The American Legion member who holds a valid FCC amateur radio license of any class is eligible for free membership in TALARC.

More information is available on the club’s Web page at www.legion.org/hamradio.