Are you new to the amateur radio hobby? Not yet licensed and don't know where to start? Just got your license and want to know what to do next? Got your license years ago, but never actually keyed up your radio and made a contact? This is the page for you!
MARC (Murray Amateur Radio Club) holds three meetings every (most) month(s). The first meeting every month is dedicated to what we call "Beginner's Topics." These presentations are aimed at the new ham, or the unlicensed person who thinks they might want to get involved, and the ham who has their license but no idea what to do next. Our club has these meetings on the first Thursday of each month, and these sessions are (usually) available via Zoom for people who can't make it to the meeting in person. We also record the meetings and put them up on YouTube for others to take advantage of.
In 2024, we started a new series of presentations called Getting Started with Amateur Radio. Links to each of these meetings will be added here (see below). All are welcome to these meetings, regardless of your membership in MARC, where you live, or any other factor.
- Introduction to Amateur Radio (for the non-ham)
- Preparing for the Test
- Equipment
- Programming Your Radio (two sessions)
- Get On The AIR!
- Public Service Events and Utah SAG
- What Else Can I Do with Amateur Radio?
- If you want additional beginner's topics, please send them to us with the Contact form!
In 2025, we are starting a new initiative we are calling "Back to Basics." There will be more hands on activities, demonstrations, and encouragement for the new and less experienced operators to get more involved with the hobby.
If you need the Zoom link to attend remotely, you can join the marc-announce mailing list. Each week, an e-mail is sent to this list with information about the training that will be happening that week. Other announcements of general interest to both club members and prospective members are also sent to this list as needed. You can also use the Contact Us page to send us a message asking for the Zoom link if there is a specific class you are interested in but you don't want to join the mailing list.
Finally, here are some links to past "Beginner's Topics" classes that you may find useful:
- How to Run an Amateur Radio Net (6 JUL 2023)
- Antennas (2 JUN 2023)
- Making Your First QSO (4 MAY 2023)
- Introduction to Repeaters (8 APR 2023)
- Slinging the Lingo - Understanding the Old Men (part 1) (2 MAR 2023)
- Slinging the Lingo - Understanding the Old Men (part 2) (16 MAR 2023)
- Using Your HT (2 FEB 2023)
- Introduction to DMR (7 APR 2022)
- Tactical Call Signs (16 MAR 2022)