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Brought to you by 
cleeb (KZ0P), and InkRF (N8FCC)

We will help you experience the fun of Ham Radio

Ham Radio has been considered to be the original group of hackers, launching before computers, integrated circuits, and even the transistor! Hams of all generations have a hacker mindset, solving problems their own way, regardless of what the manual has to say. Continuing this pioneer spirit, the Ham Radio Village is here to support advancement of the hobby with a cybersecurity slant.

Everything we do today involves wireless communications of some sort, and a basic knowledge of how radio works is crucial. In the Ham Radio Community, you can learn hand-on with topics such as how to legally use a radio to send commands to a satellite, communicating around the globe when no other methods exist, and how to send and receive real-time location data without relying on any cellular networks. You can put your skills to the test by trying to find the hidden transmitters in the Ham Radio Fox Hunt contest, as well as transmitting memes over the airwaves to SAINTCON attendees.

We provide license testing services for those looking to become licensed or upgrade their license class, as well as guidance on how to hack on the medium to achieve the best results and have the most fun!​

How do I get involved?

This is a community for all things Amateur Radio. See someone with a radio? Introduce yourself and exchange callsigns. Got your ticket years ago but never been on-air? Make your first QSO with a friendly con attendee. You’d be surprised how many attendees are amateur radio enthusiasts and would love to share what they have learned. Who knows, maybe there is a flag for the hackers challenge somewhere around here.

How do I get involved?

Getting involved is easy! Find someone with a radio and introduce yourself!

Carry your radio on your belt / clipped visibly if you are willing to exchange callsigns and/or make an introduction. If you prefer to just have your radio and be listening along, put a red tag on your antenna so folks know not to bother you (look for people with the community patch, or swing by the Home Labs community to pick one up).

During the convention, we will be using these simplex frequencies:

146.580 MHz (primary, “ConHam”)
447.800 MHz (backup, SSTV)

Any amateur radio that supports FM on the 2m and 70cm bands (144-148 MHz, 420-450MHz) will work. If you don’t have a radio yet and are looking for a cheap but reliable option, we recommend the Retevis RT-85.

Get your Ham Radio License! While you don’t need a license to own a radio or listen in on ham radio frequencies, you will need a license to join the fun and transmit! We are providing FREE license testing at SAINTCON for all those who want to get their license! All are welcome to try and get their license, just register online at the links below. Examinees are
encouraged to check out ham.study to study for their respective exam.

Session one signup link: <COMING SOON>
Session two signup link: <COMING SOON>

Want to give DMR a go? We will be running a duplex hotspot on 449.250(-) with Color Code 6 and Talk Group 31671. Make sure to request your ID well in advance so you are ready to go by the time the conference rolls around. (Any licensed ham can request a radio ID even if you don’t have a DMR radio yet.)

If you don’t have a DMR radio yet, we recommend either an Anytone radio or one that is supported by the OpenGD77 firmware. Many of us have the Retevis RT-3S and like it. Avoid the cheap COTRE or GOCOM radios unless you’re confident you know what you are doing.

Advanced Users

If you are interested in P25 radios and/or business band operation with encryption, reach out to @cleeb who plans to bring an experimental P25 trunked system and keyloader to the con.

Special thanks to the Home Labs community for hosting our hotspots and providing connectivity, and to the Young Amateurs Radio Club for letting us borrow their talkgroup.

Hours of Operation

  • Monday
    As you roam
  • Tuesday
    As you roam
  • Wednesday
    As you roam
  • Thursday
    As you roam
  • Friday
    As you roam
  • Simplex Freq: 146.580 MHz
  • Backup Freq: 447.800 MHz
  • DMR Freq: 449.250-
    Color Code: 6
    Talk Group: 31671