📡 Your Southern California Ham Radio Hub
The friendliest place for
SoCal hams online.
Repeaters, linked systems, emergency frequencies, and a full disaster channel list — organized by region, easy to navigate, and always up to date. Welcome to the community!
🌆
Los Angeles County
LA & the Valley
DARN, DCS/RACES, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, SGV
🏄
Orange County
The OC
OCARES, W4MCO linked system, Santiago Peak
⛵
San Diego County
San Diego
PARC, SD ARES linked system, North County, Palomar
🏔️
Inland Empire
Riverside & San Bernardino
Keller Peak, KPRA, Coachella Valley access
🌊
Ventura County
Ventura
VC ACS/ARES full county system, Sulphur Mtn, Simi
🌴
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara
SB Section ARES, Santa Ynez Peak, WIN System
🏜️
High Desert
Palmdale / Victorville
Antelope Valley, High Desert ARES, Big Bear
🌵
Coachella Valley
Palm Springs / Desert
Desert area repeaters, Coachella Valley ARES
Coverage Map
Explore by Region
Click any region to jump to its primary frequencies, repeaters, and ARES/RACES info.
Los Angeles County — LA County's ARES program is called DARN (Digital Amateur Radio Network) and the government emergency program is the DCS (Disaster Communications Service), which is LA County's RACES equivalent. Many hospitals participate in the DARN nets weekly.
Primary Emergency Repeaters
Priority 1
LA COUNTY · DCS/RACES PRIMARY
145.300
LA County DCS — Primary
LA County Disaster Communications Service (RACES equivalent). Primary net Monday 7 PM. DCS tone encoded.
Offset: − · DCS Encoded
Priority 1
LA COUNTY · ARES/DARN
DARN System
DARN Repeater System
Large linked system covering most of SoCal. Primary LAX ARES net Monday 9 PM. Affiliated with ARES LAX Division. Many hospital participants.
darn.org — multiple linked sites
RACES
LA COUNTY · RACES ALTERNATE
147.270
LA RACES Net Alt
LA County RACES coordination alternate frequency. Used during county emergency operations.
Offset: + · PL: 179.9
Simplex
Simplex
146.520
National 2m Calling / Emergency
Universal — when repeaters fail, go here first. Every ham should have this programmed.
No PL — Simplex
Simplex
446.000
National 70cm Simplex
Backup simplex when 2m is crowded. Works with most HTs. Good for short-range post-disaster comms.
No PL — Simplex
Key Resources
Orange County ARES operates the W4MCO repeater system with both analog and digital (P25/DMR) modes. The linked system connects multiple sites across the county including downtown, East OC, Pine Hills, OIA, and Southwest OC. ocares.org
Orange County ARES — W4MCO Repeater System
| Mode | Callsign | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL / Code | Location / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analog | W4MCO | 443.050 | +5.00 | 103.5 Hz | Downtown OC — Analog |
| P25 | W4MCO | 442.525 | +5.00 | NAC 0CA | East Orange County — Mixed Mode |
| P25 | W4MCO | 442.700 | +5.00 | NAC 0CA | Pine Hills — Mixed Mode |
| Analog | W4MCO | 443.525 | +5.00 | 103.5 Hz | OIA — Linked to 146.730 & 444.125 |
| Analog | W4MCO | 146.730 | −0.600 | 103.5 Hz | Downtown — Linked to 444.125 & 443.525 |
| DMR | W4MCO | 443.1625 | +5.00 | CC 11 | Downtown — Brandmeister Slot 2 only |
| Analog | W4MCO | 444.125 | +5.00 | 103.5 Hz | SW Orange County — Linked to 146.730 & 443.525 |
Resources
San Diego County has a robust linked ARES system anchored by Palomar Mountain and the SD ARES linked trio (147.060 / 449.260 / 449.440 all on PL 107.2). PARC (Palomar ARC) operates the flagship Palomar repeater which covers most of San Diego County reliably.
Primary Emergency Repeaters
Priority 1
SAN DIEGO · PARC FLAGSHIP
146.730
Palomar Mtn — W6NWG (PARC)
Very reliable high-site coverage for most of San Diego County. Top pick for SD emergency operations. Backed up with generator power.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Priority 1
SAN DIEGO · ARES LINKED — PRIMARY
147.060
San Diego ARES — Primary Link
San Diego ARES EC Net primary linked frequency. Linked to 449.260 − and 449.440 − (all PL 107.2). Wide county coverage.
Offset: + · PL: 107.2
ARES Linked
SAN DIEGO · ARES LINKED — UHF 1
449.260
SD ARES Linked — UHF
Part of the San Diego ARES three-site linked system. Same PL as 147.060 and 449.440.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
ARES Linked
SAN DIEGO · ARES LINKED — UHF 2
449.440
SD ARES — Otay Mtn
Otay Mountain site, part of the SD ARES linked system. South San Diego county coverage.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Imperial Valley
IMPERIAL COUNTY · ARES
147.150
Mt. Laguna — Imperial ARES
Primary for Imperial Valley and eastern San Diego County ARES net operations. Mountain site gives wide coverage.
Offset: + · PL: 107.2
220 MHz
SAN DIEGO · 220 MHz BACKUP
224.900
Convair / Palomar — 220 MHz
220 MHz alternative when 2m and 70cm are congested. Good SD County backup option.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Resources
Inland Empire — The Keller Peak Repeater Association (KPRA) operates the official Inland Empire Emergency Communication Repeater on 146.385+. It covers Riverside, San Bernardino, LA, Orange, and parts of San Diego counties — one of the most useful wide-area machines in all of SoCal.
Primary Emergency Repeaters
Priority 1
INLAND EMPIRE · FLAGSHIP
146.385
Keller Peak — KE6TZG (KPRA)
Official IE Emergency Comm Repeater. Wide-area coverage: Inland Empire, LA, Orange, parts of SD. IRLP #3216. Extremely active.
Offset: + · PL: 146.2
Coachella Valley
RIVERSIDE COUNTY · DESERT
146.760
Coachella Valley
Primary coverage for Coachella Valley, Indio, Palm Springs area communities east of the mountains.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Keller Peak Net Schedule
| Net Name | Time | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Red Eye Net | 10:00 PM | Nightly |
| Hospital Net | 7:00 PM | First Monday / month |
| SB County Fire EmComm | 7:30 PM | First Monday / month |
| National Traffic System | 9:00 PM | Mon / Wed / Fri & emergencies |
| SATERN | 8:00 PM | Sunday nights |
| Outdoor Adventure Net | 7:30 PM | Every Thursday |
| Swap Net | 7:00 PM | Wednesday nights |
| Trivia Net | 7:30 PM | Every Friday |
Resources
Ventura County ACS/ARES has an exceptionally well-organized system with 8 geographic areas, each with dedicated 2m, 220 MHz, and 70cm frequencies. The county-wide repeater on Sulphur Mountain ties everything together. Source: vccomm.org
2 Meter (VHF) Frequencies
| Area | Freq (MHz) | Offset/PL | Repeater / Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | 145.200 | − / 127.3 | Sulphur Mtn / WD6EBY — Primary county-wide |
| Area 1 | 146.805 | − / 100.0 | Simi Valley / K6ERN |
| Area 2 | 147.885 | − / 127.3 | Thousand Oaks – BOZO / N6JMI |
| Area 3 | 147.915 | − / 127.3 | Camarillo / WB6ZTQ |
| Area 4 | 146.970 | − / 127.3 | Oxnard / WB6YQN |
| Area 5 | 145.400 | − / 114.8 | Ojai Valley / N6FL |
| Area 6 & 7 | 146.385 | + / 127.3 | Santa Paula – South Mtn / WA6ZSN |
| Area 8 | 145.460 | − / 127.3 | Moorpark / K6ERN |
70 cm (UHF) Frequencies
| Area | Freq (MHz) | Offset/PL | Repeater / Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | 445.560 | − / 141.3 | Sulphur Mtn / WD6EBY |
| Area 1 | 445.580 | − / 100.0 | Simi Valley / K6ERN |
| Area 2 | 449.440 | − / 131.8 | Thousand Oaks – AMGEN / W6AMG |
| Area 3 | 447.000 | − / 103.5 | Camarillo Springs / K6ERN |
| Area 4 | 448.800 | − / 131.8 | Oxnard / K6JLW |
| Area 5 | 448.180 | − / 100.0 | Red Mtn – SMRA / K6ERN |
| Area 6 & 7 | 447.320 | − / 100.0 | Santa Paula – South Mtn / WA6ZSN |
220 MHz (1.25m) Frequencies
| Area | Freq (MHz) | Offset/PL | Repeater / Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | 224.020 | − / 127.3 | Red Mtn – SMRA / K6ERN |
| Area 1 | 224.060 | − / 127.3 | Simi Valley / K6ERN |
| Area 2 | 224.700 | − / 156.7 | Thousand Oaks – Grissom / K6HB |
| Area 6 & 7 | 224.100 | − / 127.3 | South Mtn – SMRA / K6ERN |
Resources
Santa Barbara County is served by the Santa Barbara Section ARES. The WIN System's Santa Ynez Peak repeater provides excellent coverage of the Santa Barbara/Ventura county border region. The section has dedicated HF and VHF emergency frequencies.
Key Repeaters
WIN System
SANTA BARBARA · WIN NODE
448.900
Santa Ynez Peak — K6JSI
WIN System node at Santa Ynez Peak. Excellent coverage of Santa Barbara County and into Ventura County. AllStar Node 1360.
Offset: − · PL: 123.0
ARES HF Frequency
HF Emergency
SANTA BARBARA SECTION
3.867 LSB
SB Section ARES HF Net
Santa Barbara Section ARES HF emergency net frequency. 80 meters, LSB mode.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters
Resources
High Desert covers the Antelope Valley (Palmdale/Lancaster), the Victor Valley (Victorville/Hesperia), and Big Bear. This region is often underrepresented but has an active ham community and its own ARES infrastructure under San Bernardino County RACES.
Key Frequencies
SB County RACES
HIGH DESERT · SB COUNTY HF
3.987 LSB
San Bernardino County RACES HF
San Bernardino County RACES primary HF net. Connects High Desert, IE, and mountains under one county system.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters
Simplex
146.520
National 2m Simplex — Essential
In High Desert areas with limited repeater coverage, simplex is especially important. Always have this programmed.
No PL — Simplex
For the most current High Desert and Antelope Valley repeater listings, check RepeaterBook.com filtered to San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, and contact San Bernardino County RACES for the official RACES channel assignments.
Coachella Valley includes Palm Springs, Indio, Cathedral City, and the desert communities east of the San Jacinto Mountains. The valley sits in Riverside County and uses the county ARES infrastructure, with the Coachella Valley repeater as the local primary.
Key Frequencies
Primary
COACHELLA VALLEY · PRIMARY
146.760
Coachella Valley Repeater
Primary repeater for Coachella Valley communities. Used for local ARES operations and everyday comms in the Palm Springs area.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Wide Area
INLAND EMPIRE WIDE
146.385
Keller Peak — Wide Area Backup
From the valley floor with a good antenna, Keller Peak is often reachable and links you to the full IE EmComm system.
Offset: + · PL: 146.2
For the full Coachella Valley and Riverside County ARES frequency list, visit RepeaterBook.com and search Riverside County. Contact your local ARES Emergency Coordinator through arrl.org/ares for official RACES channel assignments.
Open & Private Systems
So Cal Repeaters
Open systems are free for all licensed hams. If you use one regularly, consider making a donation to keep the infrastructure running!
Open Systems — Free For All Hams
WIN System
Largest free/open linked system — 100+ linked repeaters across SoCal and beyond. IRLP Node 9100. No membership required.
winsystem.org →
Condor Connection
Linked 220 MHz system covering California, parts of Nevada and Arizona. 100% free. Excellent RF coverage without internet nodes.
condor-connection.org →
CARA — Catalina ARA
Catalina Island repeaters. Excellent SoCal coverage. Solar-powered — great for emergencies when grid power is out. Active for 50+ years.
cara.radio →
CLARA
Clairemont Repeater Association. Wide SoCal coverage, Santiago Peak and Barstow sites. Used for emergency comms.
145220.com →
Calnet Repeater Group
17 linked 440 MHz repeaters across California. AllStar and DMR access via Brandmeister. Pleasants Peak covers LA & Orange County.
calnet.org →
C.A.R.L.A.
California Amateur Radio Linking Association. Wide California & Western Nevada coverage. Open to all licensed operators. Emergency use.
carlaradio.net →
W6FNO
Emergency calling frequency. CHP sometimes monitors. 30-second timeout — designed for emergency use, not casual QSOs.
w6fno.org →
Private / Membership Systems
PAPA System
Linked repeater system throughout SoCal. Free to try, membership required for full access. Very active system.
papasys.com →
Keller Peak Repeater Assoc.
Official Inland Empire Emergency Communication Repeater. Excellent wide-area coverage. Lots of daily activity and scheduled nets.
kpra.net →
DARN Repeater System
Large linked system covering much of SoCal. Hospital and ARES/LAX affiliated. Weekly net Thursdays 8 PM.
darn.org →
Repeater Directories
RepeaterBook
Best online repeater directory — worldwide, constantly updated. Free iOS and Android apps available.
repeaterbook.com →
Radio Reference
Comprehensive frequency and repeater database. Also includes scanner frequencies for public safety monitoring.
radioreference.com →
SCRRBA
So Cal Repeater and Remote Base Association — coordinated repeater directory for the Southern California region.
scrrba.org →
JPL Repeater List
Repeater directory maintained by the JPL amateur radio club. Good supplementary resource for SoCal.
w6jpl.ampr.org →
Wide Area Coverage
Linked Repeater Systems
All systems listed below are open — free for all licensed hams. If you use them regularly, consider a donation to keep them running.
WIN System — Largest Open Linked System in SoCal
100+ linked repeaters. IRLP Node 9100. winsystem.org
| # | Site | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vista | K6JSI | 448.800 | − | 100.0 | Oceanside / Vista |
| 2 | Palomar | K6JSI | 449.080 | − | 123.0 | Palomar Mtn — N. San Diego |
| 3 | Otay | K6JSI | 447.640 | − | 100.0 | Mt. Otay — San Diego |
| 4 | Santiago | K6JSI | 448.060 | − | 100.0 | Santiago Pk — Orange / Riverside County |
| 5 | Santa Ynez | K6JSI | 448.900 | − | 123.0 | Santa Ynez Peak — Santa Barbara |
| 6 | Sunset Ridge | K6JSI | 147.210 | + | 100.0 | Pomona, Riverside |
| 7 | Sunset Ridge 220 | K6JSI | 224.160 | − | 71.9 | Pomona, Riverside (220 MHz) |
| 8 | Loop | K6JSI | 448.900 | − | 100.0 | Los Angeles & San Fernando Valley |
| 9 | Angeles | K6JSI | 446.460 | − | 100.0 | Mt. Disappointment — SFV / LA Basin |
| 10 | Santa Anita Ridge | K6JSI | 447.580 | − | 100.0 | LA / Orange County |
| 11 | Thousand Oaks | K6JSI | 448.940 | − | 100.0 | Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Simi, Oxnard |
CARA — Catalina Island (Solar-Powered)
Solar-powered, active 50+ years. Excellent SoCal-wide coverage. cara.radio
| Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL / Mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 147.090 | +0.600 | No PL | Main Catalina repeater — primary site |
| 224.420 | −1.600 | 110.9 | EchoLink *CATALINA* Node #384712 |
| 448.900 | −5.00 | 110.9 | C4FM or Analog FM |
| 51.860 | −0.500 | 82.5 | 6 meters |
| 446.140 | − | 110.9 | Avalon local — linked to 147.090 |
| 224.320 | − | 151.4 | Costa Mesa — Allstar N6ACG Node 57403 |
Condor Connection — 220 MHz Wide Area
Covers CA, NV, AZ and northern Mexico on 220 MHz. condor-connection.org
| Site | Location | Freq (MHz) | Call | PL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rasnow Peak | Thousand Oaks, CA | 223.940 | WB6RHQ | 156.7 |
| Santiago Peak | Orange County, CA | 224.820 | K8BUW | 156.7 |
| Toro Peak | Palm Desert, CA | 224.180 | WB6RHQ | 156.7 |
| Lyons Peak | San Diego, CA | 223.940 | W2IRI | 141.3 |
| Quartzite Mtn | Victorville, CA | 223.840 | K7GIL | 156.7 |
| Frazier Mtn | Gorman, CA | 224.720 | WB6RHQ | 156.7 |
| Goat Mtn | San Joaquin Valley, CA | 224.900 | WB6BRU | 156.7 |
Calnet Repeater Group — SoCal Sites
17 statewide linked 440 MHz repeaters. AllStar + Brandmeister DMR. calnet.org
| Site | Freq (MHz) | In PL | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasants Peak | 449.600 (−) | 151.4 | LA & Orange County (C4FM) |
| Sunset Ridge | 447.020 (−) | 110.9 | LA & San Bernardino County (C4FM) |
| Heaps Peak | 445.740 (−) | 136.5 | San Bernardino, Riverside, High Desert |
| Santiago Pk. | 448.080 (−) | 88.5 | Los Angeles / Southland |
Preparedness · Verified Frequencies
Disaster Freq's
A complete, verified channel list for Southern California earthquakes and natural disasters. Program these before you need them.
Program these now. In a major earthquake, many repeaters lose power. This list is priority-ordered: start local with your county ARES repeater, step down to wide-coverage machines, then simplex. Listen before you transmit — don't add to congestion when a disaster strikes.
⚡ Priority 1 — Must Have (Works Even Without Repeater Infrastructure)
Must Program
146.520
National 2m Emergency Simplex
The universal fallback when every repeater fails. Every ham in the US knows this frequency. Works with any radio, no infrastructure needed.
No PL — Simplex
Must Program
446.000
National 70cm Emergency Simplex
Primary 70cm simplex backup. Works when 2m is congested. Essential for HT-to-HT contact when no repeaters are operational.
No PL — Simplex
Must Program
144.390
APRS — National
Send your GPS position and a short status message without tying up a voice frequency. Excellent way to say "I'm OK" passively.
No PL — Data / APRS
Priority 2 — Wide-Coverage SoCal Repeaters (Backup Generator Power)
Inland Empire
146.385
Keller Peak — KE6TZG (KPRA)
Official IE Emergency Comm Repeater. Wide-area coverage: Inland Empire, LA, Orange, parts of SD. IRLP #3216. Primary for ARES nets.
Offset: + · PL: 146.2
San Diego
146.730
Palomar Mtn — W6NWG (PARC)
Highly reliable high-site coverage for most of San Diego County. Top choice for SD-area operators in any emergency.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
San Diego ARES
147.060
San Diego ARES EC Linked
SD ARES linked system primary. Linked to 449.260 − and 449.440 − (both PL 107.2) for maximum county coverage.
Offset: + · PL: 107.2
Orange County
443.050
OC ARES — W4MCO (Analog)
Orange County ARES primary analog repeater. Downtown OC site. Linked system for county-wide coverage. Source: ocares.org
Offset: +5.00 · PL: 103.5
LA County
145.300
LA DCS / RACES Primary
LA County Disaster Communications Service primary. Monday 7 PM net. DCS tone encoded — check current tone with LA DCS.
Offset: − · DCS Encoded
Ventura County
145.200
Sulphur Mtn — County-Wide VC
Ventura County ACS/ARES county-wide primary repeater. Covers all 8 VC areas from Sulphur Mountain site.
Offset: − · PL: 127.3
Priority 3 — County-Specific Emergency Repeaters
SD / Imperial
449.440
Otay Mtn — SD ARES Link
Part of San Diego ARES linked trio. South SD county coverage. Same PL as 147.060 and 449.260.
Offset: − · PL: 107.2
Imperial County
147.150
Mt. Laguna — Imperial ARES
Primary for Imperial Valley and east San Diego County ARES operations.
Offset: + · PL: 107.2
OC ARES Link
146.730
OC ARES — W4MCO (Linked)
OC ARES linked site — tied to 443.525 and 444.125 for county-wide coverage. Note: different PL from the Palomar machine.
Offset: −0.600 · PL: 103.5
Riverside RACES
3.945 LSB
Riverside County RACES/ARES HF
Riverside County ARES/RACES HF emergency net. 80 meters, LSB mode. For when VHF/UHF infrastructure is down.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters
SB County RACES
3.987 LSB
San Bernardino County RACES HF
San Bernardino County RACES primary HF net. Covers IE, High Desert, and mountains under the county system.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters
Orange County ARES
3.965 LSB
Orange County ARES HF
Orange County ARES public service HF net frequency. 80 meters LSB — for when VHF repeaters are unavailable.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters
HF — Statewide Fallback When All Local Infrastructure Fails
HF — Night
3.992 LSB
CA Emergency Services Net (Night)
Primary California Emergency Services Net — nighttime operation. Best 80m coverage after sunset across California.
Mode: LSB / 80 Meters · Night
HF — Day
7.192 LSB
CA Emergency Services Net (Day)
California Emergency Services Net — daytime. 40m provides excellent statewide coverage during daylight. Connects the whole state.
Mode: LSB / 40 Meters · Day
📡 Non-Ham Frequencies to Monitor During a Disaster
A scanner, SDR, or wideband HT lets you monitor these alongside your ham frequencies. No ham license needed to receive any of these.
NOAA Weather
162.400–162.550
NOAA Weather Radio — All 7 Channels
Continuous weather & emergency alerts. Most HTs with wide receive can tune these. Program all 7 channels. Critical for disaster warnings.
WX1: 162.550 · WX2: 162.400 · WX3: 162.475
Aviation
121.500 AM
Aviation Guard — International Emergency
All aircraft, search & rescue helicopters, and air resources monitor this. Receive only — AM mode. Know where the air assets are operating.
Mode: AM — Receive only
FRS / GMRS
462.5625
FRS Channel 1 / GMRS Emergency
Many civilians default to FRS channel 1 after a disaster. Monitor to assist neighbors who don't have ham radios.
FRS / GMRS · No ham license needed
MURS
151.940
MURS Channel 3
Multi-Use Radio Service — no license needed. Used by many neighborhood preparedness groups. Good for community-level comms.
MURS — No license required
CB Radio
27.065
CB Channel 9 — Emergency
Citizens Band emergency channel. Truckers, RV owners, and many vehicles still have CB. Useful for road conditions after a major quake.
CB AM — No license required
Marine
156.800
Marine Channel 16 — Distress & Calling
International maritime distress channel. Coast Guard monitors continuously. Relevant near the SoCal coast and inland waterways.
Marine VHF FM — Receive only w/o license
🌊 SoCal Earthquake Response — Step by Step
- Listen first. After a quake, monitor your priority frequencies before transmitting. Avoid adding to congestion.
- Start local → work outward. Try your county ARES/RACES repeater first. If active, check in with your call and location. If silent, try the next repeater down your list.
- Repeaters down? Go simplex. Switch to 146.520 MHz. It's the universal meeting point when infrastructure fails.
- APRS for "I'm OK" messages. 144.390 MHz. Even one position beacon tells the network you're safe without tying up a voice frequency.
- HF is the ultimate fallback. If all local VHF/UHF infrastructure is gone, 3.992 LSB (night) or 7.192 LSB (day) reaches the entire state.
- Solar-powered sites last longer. CARA (Catalina) repeaters run on solar and have the best chance of surviving extended grid outages. Prioritize them for longer-duration events.
- Join ARES now — don't wait for a disaster. Your county ARES group will give you the exact current channel assignments and keep you in the loop. arrl.org/ares
Reference
Band Plan & Resources
Current ARRL band plan, DX and propagation tools, and quick reference for key frequencies.
Key Online Resources
ARRL Band Plan (Current)
The official, current ARRL frequency allocation and band plan for all amateur radio frequencies in the US.
arrl.org →
DX Maps
Real-time DX cluster map showing current propagation openings and DX spots worldwide.
dxmaps.com →
VOACAP Propagation
HF propagation prediction tool. Great for planning which bands will work for a given path and time.
voacap.com →
Solar Conditions
Real-time solar data, A and K indices, and current HF band condition summaries. Bookmark this.
hamqsl.com →
PSK Reporter
Live propagation map from FT8 and other digital mode reception reports. Instantly see what's getting out.
pskreporter.info →
QRZ.com
Callsign lookup, logbook, forums, and ham radio community. Essential resource for every ham.
qrz.com →
Quick Reference — Ham Bands at a Glance
| Band | Frequency Range | Primary Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 160m | 1.8 – 2.0 MHz | NVIS emergency comms at night, low-band DX |
| 80m | 3.5 – 4.0 MHz | Regional/statewide nets (night), ARES/RACES HF, ragchewing. Emergency: 3.992 LSB (CA) |
| 40m | 7.0 – 7.3 MHz | Daytime statewide, DX evenings. Emergency: 7.192 LSB (CA day) |
| 20m | 14.0 – 14.35 MHz | DX workhorse. NTS national nets. SSB calling on 14.300 |
| 17m / 15m / 12m / 10m | 18 – 29.7 MHz | DX during solar peak. 10m local FM on 29.600 |
| 6m | 50 – 54 MHz | "Magic band" — E-skip DX openings, local FM. SoCal activity on 52.525 simplex |
| 2m | 144 – 148 MHz | Main local/repeater band. APRS: 144.390. Emergency simplex: 146.520 |
| 1.25m (220) | 222 – 225 MHz | 220 MHz — Condor Connection, Ventura County ACS, less congested than 2m |
| 70cm | 420 – 450 MHz | Local repeaters, digital modes (DMR/P25/C4FM). Simplex: 446.000 |
Get In Touch
Contact KE6MGB
Have a repeater update, frequency correction, or something to add to the site? I'd love to hear from you. This is a community resource and your input makes it better for everyone.
Coming soon: a forum for SoCal hams — a friendly place to connect with operators across the region, share tips, and coordinate activities. Stay tuned!