Join us at EPARA for our monthly meetings where the excitement of amateur radio comes alive. Held on the second Thursday of each month at the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management or virtually via Zoom.

These gatherings are a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and share your passion for the hobby. Doors open at 1900 and our meeting begin at 1930

Whether you are an experienced operator or just curious about the world of amateur radio, our meetings foster a welcoming environment filled with lively discussions, valuable knowledge sharing, and collaborative planning for upcoming events like Field Day.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of our vibrant community; all interested individuals are invited to join us and explore the fascinating realm of amateur radio together.

🦊 EPARA Fox Hunt – September 19th!

Get ready to unleash your competitive spirit! We’re gearing up for an exciting Fox Hunt this September—a great opportunity for members to put their radio skills to the test while enjoying some friendly competition and camaraderie.

With our attenuator kits successfully assembled during Field Day, we’re eager to put them to work in a fun and challenging environment where strategy, teamwork, and radio skills will be key.

This event promises to challenge your abilities while bringing our club members together for a memorable day filled with laughter, adventure, and the enjoyment of amateur radio.

The Fox Hunt will be held on Saturday, September 19th, at Kevin – W3KCF’s place. We will gather at approximately 11:00 AM and begin the hunt shortly afterward.

Following the hunt, we plan to enjoy some pizza and good old-fashioned rag chew. This will give everyone a chance to relax, review the hunt, share what worked well, and talk about what may have gone astray.

So, dust off your radio gear, charge those batteries, and get ready to hunt!

We look forward to seeing everyone and having a great time!

Field Day 2026 — Come and Gone, But Not Forgotten!

Field Day has come and gone, but it certainly won’t be forgotten! We had a great turnout, plenty of food, and lots of fun.

We began setup Friday afternoon. With the antennas up and the radios tuned, it was time to relax, eat some pizza, and talk about our favorite hobby.

Looking ahead to Saturday, we thought the day would be even better. The stations were up, equipment was ready, the menu was set—what could possibly go wrong?

I guess we must have ignored the weather report. We usually think the forecasts are never quite spot-on. Well, this time, they got it right! It poured rain pretty much all day, but we persevered. We cooked in the rain, made contacts, held a VE session, and enjoyed some delicious root beer floats.

It didn’t hurt that our porta-potty was delivered early and was conveniently located right in the middle of everything. Life is good!

Despite the weather, this year’s Field Day was a great success, thanks to everyone who came out, helped, participated, and made it such an enjoyable event.

With this year’s event now complete, we’re already looking forward to next year. Hope to see everyone at Field Day 2027!

2026 West End Fair — A Great Year for EPARA!

The 2026 West End Fair was a great success! We had good participation, plenty of camaraderie, and, with all the time we had together, we were able to solve many of the problems facing the ham radio community—or at least we thought we did!

We had many folks stop by the booth this year, and the hamfest flyers went like hot cakes! A few visitors took applications, and one gentleman even tried to pay his dues. Unfortunately, he was told he would have to bring them to our next meeting.

We received a number of questions about Amateur Radio, including how to get licensed, how to get started in the hobby, testing, and what types of events we hold throughout the year. Overall, we saw much more interest than we did last year, which was very encouraging.

A Better Booth Setup

This year we set up our booth in a horseshoe configuration. This arrangement worked very well and allowed for better access, more room to move around, and easier interaction with visitors. It also gave us a little more room to spread out and enjoy ourselves.

Astron Power Supply Surgery

On the last day of the fair, Dave (KA2TSM) brought in his Astron power supply. Ed performed some electronic surgery and attempted to diagnose the problem.

A capacitor was removed so it could be tested, along with making a few other observations and checks. It was interesting for visitors to see the equipment opened up and get a look at what is actually inside some of the equipment we use every day.

Who says you can’t learn a little electronics at the fair?

The 2-Meter Radio and Go-Box

Another issue that needs some attention is our 2-meter radio and go-box.

The battery needs to be replaced. It was sitting at only about 5 volts and was unable to be reconditioned. The radio itself also had a few issues. It would get quite hot, quit transmitting, and the screen would go blank.

We tried putting it directly in front of the house fan for some extra cooling. When we did, the tissue we were using to observe the airflow moved away—so at least we knew the fan was working!

The 2-meter radio and go-box are now officially on the project list.

A Visit from Peanut

On the last day of the fair, Peanut stopped by and presented the club with a Certificate of Participation. These certificates were given to each of the vendors at the fair.

When Peanut came by, we had five hams gathered around the table. That made for a great demonstration of the interest and participation we had throughout the fair.

Having several club members there at the same time also gave visitors a chance to see that Amateur Radio is about more than just radios—it’s about people, fellowship, learning, and community.

One Missing Table

After the fair, we began the cleanup process. All the gear was removed, the banners came down, and the wires were taken up.

We were told that we could leave the table and chairs in place and pick them up on Monday. Everything was good—except someone apparently decided that they needed one of our 4-foot tables more than we did.

Unfortunately, the table was stolen.

We’re not sure what their plans were for it, but apparently our table made quite an impression!

Looking Forward to 2027

Overall, we are very pleased with how everything went this year. The increased participation, the number of visitors, the questions we received, and the overall fellowship made the 2026 West End Fair a very worthwhile event for the club.

We would like to thank everyone who helped set up, worked the booth, talked with visitors, answered questions, helped with the equipment, and stayed around to enjoy the fellowship.

The West End Fair once again gave us an opportunity to introduce people to Amateur Radio and show them what our club is like.

Join EPARA for Our Yearly Hamfest!
September 20, 2026

Whether you are looking to hunt for vintage electronics, upgrade your gear, or just talk shop, there is a spot for you at our annual event. We are hosting a massive swap meet with both outdoor tailgating and covered pavilion spaces.

• Where: Moose Lodge 1336, 705 Stokes Mill Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
• Vendors & Sellers: Setup starts early at 6:00 AM
• Buyers & General Admission: Gates open at 8:00 AM

What to Expect:

• Outdoor Tailgate & Open Field: Perfect for truck setups, car boot sales, and wandering the vast outdoor field.
• Indoor & Pavilion Table Space: Covered, shaded areas are available so you can set up your gear and sell comfortably.
• Club Consignment Table: Don’t want to man your own booth? Drop your items off at the main club table to sell.
• Amenities: Hot and cold food, beverages, and convenient restrooms will be available on site all morning.
• Door Prizes & VE Testing: Hourly cash giveaways, grand prize drawings, and onsite amateur radio license testing. [1]