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West Valley Amateur Radio Club

Special Events

Operating, Exploring, and Getting on the Air

West Valley Amateur Radio Club special events give members a chance to operate outside the usual routine, learn something new, meet other amateurs, and put the club call sign NY7S on the air.

NY7S Special Event QSL Card

WVARC uses the club call sign NY7S for special event operations. The current club QSL card celebrates Arizona, amateur radio, and WVARC in a design that is difficult to mistake for anybody else’s.

QSL Card Front

Front of the NY7S Special Event QSL card showing a desert scene with a skeleton holding a handheld radio, the NY7S callsign, Arizona text, Special Event text, and the West Valley Amateur Radio Club logo.

QSL Card Back

Back of the NY7S Special Event QSL card with blank fields for confirming a QSO, including date, UTC time, frequency, mode, signal reports, special event location, and West Valley ARC mailing and repeater information.

If you would like to provide feedback on the QSL card design, contact the club president at president@westvalleyarc.com.

Recent WVARC Special Events

Titan Missile Museum Tour

In December 2025, members toured the underground missile silo at the Titan Missile Museum in Sahuarita, then operated HF on site using the museum’s 80-foot Cold War-era discone antenna.

World Amateur Radio Day

WVARC marks World Amateur Radio Day with a foxhunt and picnic. In 2026, the event also included Elmering Scouts as they worked on their Radio Merit Badge.

WVARC Swapfest-Tailgate

One of the club’s annual winter events, the Swapfest-Tailgate brings buyers, sellers, builders, and radio enthusiasts together in the Sun City area.

Field Days

WVARC participates in Field Day activities that put members on the air, engage the public, and provide practical operating experience tied to emergency readiness.

Balloons on the Air — NY7S

In April 2026, Josh, KE7WIL, operated from a hot air balloon using the club call sign NY7S on 146.58 MHz simplex and logged 23 contacts during the flight.

What’s Next?

New special events, trips, operating activities, and club gatherings are posted through the WVARC Events & QSTs calendar. Check there for dates, times, locations, and event details.