The most complete resource 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!
Explore by Region
Click any region to jump to its primary frequencies, repeaters, and ARES/RACES info.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 / SMRA (WD6EBY) |
| Area 2 | 147.885 | − / 127.3 | Thousand Oaks – BOZO / N6JMI |
| Area 3 | 147.915 | − / 127.3 | Camarillo Springs / SMRA |
| Area 4 | 146.970 | − / 127.3 | Oxnard / WB6YQN |
| Area 5 | 145.400 | − / 114.8 | Ojai Valley / N6FL |
| Area 6 & 7 | 146.385 | + / 127.3 | South Mtn – SMRA / WD6EBY |
| Area 8 | 145.460 | − / 127.3 | Moorpark / K6ERN |
| Area | Freq (MHz) | Offset/PL | Repeater / Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | 445.560 | − / 141.3 | Sulphur Mtn / WD6EBY (verify) |
| 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 / WD6EBY |
| Area 6 & 7 | 447.320 | − / 100.0 | Santa Paula – South Mtn / WA6ZSN |
| Area | Freq (MHz) | Offset/PL | Repeater / Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | 224.020 | − / 127.3 | Red Mtn – SMRA / WD6EBY |
| Area 1 | 224.060 | − / 127.3 | Simi Valley / SMRA (WD6EBY) |
| Area 2 | 224.700 | − / 156.7 | Thousand Oaks – Grissom / K6HB |
| Area 6 & 7 | 224.100 | − / 127.3 | South Mtn – SMRA / WD6EBY |
So Cal Repeaters
A comprehensive guide to the most reputable, active repeaters across Southern California — organized by area. Open systems require no membership. Membership/closed systems require a PL tone or club membership for full access. For ARES/RACES emergency frequencies, see the Emergency section.
Mt. Wilson (5,710 ft) dominates LA repeater coverage — virtually every major system has a machine there. Santiago Peak and Saddle Peak fill in the south and west flanks.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LARC | W6VR | 147.435 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA Basin-wide | Los Angeles Radio Club. One of the oldest active machines in LA. Very reliable high site. |
| Heaps Peak ARC | W6TOP | 146.085 | + | 127.3 | FM | Open | Heaps Peak — LA, OC, Riverside, SB counties | Exceptional multi-county coverage. One of the best-positioned single sites in SoCal. Very active. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.060 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Santiago Peak — LA Basin & OC | WIN System flagship SoCal node. 100+ linked repeaters. IRLP Node 9100. Always activity. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.900 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Chatsworth / SFV loop — LA & SFV | WIN System SFV/LA node. Great starting point for LA-area hams. Always someone on. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 446.460 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Mt. Disappointment — SFV / Angeles NF | WIN node with good coverage into the SFV, foothill communities, and High Desert approaches. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 447.580 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Santa Anita Ridge — LA / OC border | WIN System mid-basin node filling the gap between Santiago and Mt. Disappointment. |
| PAPA 08 | WA6YBN | 448.420 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | Mt. Wilson — LA Basin-wide | PAPA System. Huge Mt. Wilson analog coverage. Linked to all PAPA sites. 33 analog + DMR/D-STAR network. |
| PAPA 04 | WA6YBN | 447.680 | − | 100.0 | FM / D-STAR / DMR / P25 | Member | Saddle Peak — West LA, Santa Monica, Malibu | PAPA System multimode hub. Covers the entire Westside of LA. D-STAR, DMR, and P25 all on-site. |
| PAPA 06 | WA6YBN | 447.260 | − | 100.0 | FM | Member | Mt. Lukens — Northeast LA / SFV | PAPA System Mt. Lukens site. Covers the northeast LA basin and upper SFV areas. |
| ATV Network | W6ATN | 448.420 | − | None | ATV / FM voice | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA Basin-wide | Amateur Television voice coordination repeater. 2m voice on 448.420 alongside ATV downlink at 1265.25 MHz. |
| SOCALINK | WB6MYD | 146.625 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA / Pasadena | Pasadena ARC linked machine. Good Mt. Wilson coverage, active Pasadena/SGV community. |
| SOCALINK | W6SCO | 224.100 | − | 100.0 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA Basin | 220 MHz option from a top LA site. Great if you want a less-crowded band with excellent coverage. |
| CARA | AA6DP | 147.090 | + | No PL | FM | Open | Catalina Island — SoCal-wide + marine | Solar-powered, 50+ years active. Unique: covers both the basin AND out to sea. Great marine mobile option. |
| DARN | K6LNK | 445.140 | − | DCS 211 | FM (DCS) | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA County hospitals | LA County's DARN (Digital Amateur Radio Network) — hospital ARES/EmComm system. Open for monitoring; check in during nets. |
The SFV is served primarily by the WIN System loop, PAPA Chatsworth, and WD6EBY's linked system. Ventura County has excellent coverage from Sulphur Mountain and Rasnow Peak.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.940 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Thousand Oaks / Chatsworth Peak | WIN node covering Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Simi Valley, and the western SFV. Well-used daily. |
| VC ACS/ARES | WD6EBY | 145.200 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Sulphur Mountain — Ventura County-wide | The definitive Ventura County repeater. County-wide ACS/ARES machine. Linked to Camarillo Hills, Ojai, Chatsworth Peak, Rasnow Peak, Laguna Peak, Santa Ynez Peak. |
| VC ACS/ARES | WD6EBY | 449.020 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Sulphur Mountain — Ventura County | 70cm companion to 145.200. Same linked system, same great coverage. Program both. |
| PAPA 30 | WA6YBN | 446.360 | − | 156.7 | FM | Member | South Mountain — Ventura | PAPA System's Ventura site. Added in 2022. Good coverage of the Oxnard plain and surrounding areas. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.900 | − | 123.0 | FM | Open | Santa Ynez Peak — Santa Barbara / Ventura | WIN node with excellent Santa Barbara and North Ventura County coverage. Note different PL than LA WIN nodes. |
| LARC / SFV | W6VR | 146.505 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Chatsworth Peak — West SFV | LARC Chatsworth machine. Good west SFV coverage, ties into the wider LA repeater community. |
Santiago Peak (5,689 ft) is OC's dominant repeater site. PAPA has multiple machines there (PAPA 03 / PAPA 05) and the WIN System anchor node 448.060 lives there too.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OC ARES | W4MCO | 443.050 | + | 103.5 | FM | Open | Downtown OC — county-wide | OC ARES primary analog machine. Active, well-maintained community. Five-site linked system (East OC, Pine Hills, OIA, SW OC). |
| OC ARES | W4MCO | 146.625 | − | 103.5 | FM | Open | OC — multi-site linked | OC ARES 2m analog linked machine. Companion to 443.050. Good countywide coverage when linked. |
| PAPA 03 | WA6YBN | 446.760 | − | 100.0 | FM / D-STAR / DMR | Member | Santiago Peak — LA, OC, SD, Riverside | PAPA System flagship. Massive multi-county coverage. D-STAR and DMR also on-site. Free to listen, membership to TX. |
| PAPA 05 | WA6YBN | 447.340 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | Signal Peak (Laguna) — Coastal OC / SD | PAPA System Laguna site. Covers the coastal Orange County and North San Diego County corridor. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.060 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Santiago Peak — OC / LA Basin | WIN anchor node — same machine as LA section. If you're in OC this is your first stop. |
| Condor Connection | K8BUW | 224.820 | − | 156.7 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Santiago Peak — OC / Inland | Condor Connection 220 MHz node. Free, open, less crowded than 2m. Linked across CA/NV/AZ. |
| OCFA | W6STR | 147.315 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Anaheim Hills — Central OC | OC Fire Authority area. Active local machine. Good for central and north-central OC. |
| OCARC | N6ME | 147.195 | + | 127.3 | FM | Open | Pleasants Peak — South OC | Orange County Amateur Radio Club. Well-regarded Pleasants Peak site — great South OC and North SD coverage. |
| Calnet (PAPA) | WA6YBN | 441.950 | + | 127.3 | FM / DMR (AllStar) | Open | Pleasants Peak — OC / SD / Riverside | Calnet Repeater Group node. AllStar and Brandmeister DMR. Excellent Pleasants Peak coverage. Open to all. |
Palomar Mountain (5,560 ft) is the heart of San Diego repeater coverage. PARC (W6NWG) runs the county's flagship system there with multiple 2m, 70cm, 6m, and C4FM machines. SD ARES has a solid linked trio.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARC | W6NWG | 146.730 | − | 107.2 | FM / C4FM | Open | Palomar Mtn — SD County-wide | PARC flagship. Covers most of San Diego County reliably. Fusion/FM dual-mode. Outstanding audio quality. |
| PARC | W6NWG | 147.075 | + | 107.2 | FM / C4FM | Open | Palomar Mtn — SD County | Second PARC Palomar 2m machine. C4FM enabled. Great backup for 146.730. Same coverage. |
| PARC | W6NWG | 147.130 | + | 107.2 | FM / C4FM | Open | Palomar Mtn — SD County | Third PARC Palomar 2m machine. Additional coverage option. Fusion and analog. |
| PARC | W6NWG | 447.000 | − | 107.2 | FM / C4FM | Open | Palomar Mtn — SD County (UHF) | PARC 70cm on Palomar. EchoLink Node W6NWG-R. Wide UHF coverage across SD County. |
| PARC | W6NWG | 52.680 | −0.500 | 107.2 | FM (6m) | Open | Palomar Mtn — SD County | 6-meter machine — try the magic band! Active during E-skip. One of very few 6m repeaters in SoCal. |
| SD ARES | W6SDR | 147.060 | + | 107.2 | FM | Open | Lyons Peak — SD County ARES | SD ARES primary 2m. Part of the linked ARES trio (147.060 / 449.260 / 449.440). EmComm + daily use. |
| SD ARES | W6SDR | 449.260 | − | 107.2 | FM | Open | Multi-site linked — SD County | SD ARES linked 70cm. Part of the three-machine linked trio. Good fallback when 2m is busy. |
| SD ARES | W6SDR | 449.440 | − | 107.2 | FM | Open | Multi-site linked — SD County | Third leg of the SD ARES trio. All three linked and widely used daily. |
| MetroNET | KB3PX | 146.970 | − | 107.2 | FM | Open | Vista — North San Diego County | MetroNET linked system. Also linked to 224.440 − and 224.020 −. Active North SD County community. |
| Fallbrook ARC | N6FQ | 146.175 | + | 107.2 | FM | Open | Red Mountain — North SD / SW Riverside | Linked to 445.600 −. Covers the North SD / SW Riverside gap that Palomar doesn't quite reach. |
| HARS | KK6KD | 147.945 | − | 107.2 | FM / C4FM | Open | Mt. San Miguel — South SD / Tijuana | Hispanic ARS. Unique cross-border coverage into Tijuana, Mexico. Also 448.460 − PL 151.4. Active bilingual community. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 447.640 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Mt. Otay — South San Diego | WIN System San Diego node. Good South County and Chula Vista coverage. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 449.080 | − | 123.0 | FM | Open | Palomar Mtn — North SD | WIN System Palomar node. Note PL 123.0 — different from PARC on same mountain. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 448.800 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Vista — Oceanside / North SD | WIN System Vista/Oceanside node. Good North Coastal SD coverage. |
| PAPA 11/12 | WA6YBN | 448.160 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR / D-STAR | Member | Black Mountain — North SD | PAPA System North San Diego site. Multimode coverage for north county and inland areas. |
| PAPA 31 | WA6YBN | 447.640 | − | 103.5 | FM | Member | Daniel Peak — East SD County / Deserts | PAPA System east SD / desert access node. Covers the Anza-Borrego approaches. |
| Condor Connection | W2IRI | 223.940 | − | 141.3 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Lyons Peak — San Diego County | Condor Connection 220 MHz SD node. Open, linked, low-traffic band. Hidden gem for local comms. |
The IE has some of SoCal's most active repeater communities. Keller Peak, Heaps Peak, and the Redlands area are the anchors. PAPA has several IE sites as well.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KPRA | KE6TZG | 146.385 | + | 146.2 | FM | Member | Keller Peak — IE-wide, LA, OC, SD | IE's most active repeater by far. Daily swap, trivia, outdoor, traffic nets. Friendly community. IRLP #3216. Membership highly recommended. |
| KPRA | KE6TZG | 224.040 | − | 146.2 | FM (220 MHz) | Member | Keller Peak — IE 220 MHz | KPRA 220 MHz companion machine. Same great site, same active community. Less crowded than 2m. |
| KPRA | KE6TZG | 449.925 | − | 146.2 | FM | Member | Keller Peak — IE 70cm | KPRA 70cm machine. Same membership structure. Program all three KPRA machines. |
| Heaps Peak ARC | W6TOP | 146.085 | + | 127.3 | FM | Open | Heaps Peak — IE, LA, OC, Riverside, SB | Outstanding multi-county reach. One of the best standalone sites in all of SoCal. Very active. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 147.210 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Sunset Ridge — Pomona / West Riverside | WIN System Sunset Ridge 2m node. IE/LA border coverage. Good for commuters on the 10 and 60 corridors. |
| WIN System | K6JSI | 224.160 | − | 71.9 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Sunset Ridge — Pomona / Riverside (220 MHz) | WIN System 220 MHz node at Sunset Ridge. Open and free. Low traffic band. |
| PAPA 21 | WA6YBN | 146.730 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | Redlands — San Bernardino Valley | PAPA System Redlands 2m site. Good San Bernardino Valley and Redlands/Highland coverage. |
| PAPA 24 | WA6YBN | 447.700 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | Elsinore Peak — SW Riverside / Lake Elsinore | PAPA System southwest Riverside node. Covers Lake Elsinore / Murrieta / Temecula corridor. |
| Condor Connection | WB6RHQ | 223.840 | − | 156.7 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Quartzite Mtn — Victorville / High Desert IE | Condor Connection 220 MHz node. Covers the Victor Valley and High Desert IE areas. Open, free. |
| Redlands ARC | W6ELA | 146.775 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Redlands — San Bernardino metro | Redlands Amateur Radio Club. Active club machine covering the SB metro and surrounding communities. |
| San Bernardino ARC | K6SRH | 147.885 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | San Bernardino area | SBARC club repeater. Active, community-focused. Good for San Bernardino city and nearby areas. |
| PAPA 28 | WA6YBN | 447.000 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | Needles — East IE / AZ Border | PAPA System easternmost SoCal node. Covers Needles and the Colorado River corridor. Good I-40 coverage. |
The Mojave/Antelope Valley area has fewer high-site options but good coverage via Mt. Disappointment (WIN), Frazier Peak, and local club machines in Palmdale/Lancaster.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN System | K6JSI | 446.460 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Mt. Disappointment — SFV / High Desert approaches | WIN node with the best reach into the Antelope Valley from the south. Open and active. |
| Condor Connection | WB6RHQ | 224.720 | − | 156.7 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Frazier Mountain — Gorman / I-5 corridor | Condor Connection 220 MHz Frazier Mtn node. Covers the Gorman/Tejon Pass area — great for I-5 travelers. |
| Condor Connection | WA6YBN | 223.940 | − | 156.7 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Rasnow Peak — Thousand Oaks / AV | Condor Connection Rasnow Peak node. Reaches from Ventura County north into the Antelope Valley. |
| Antelope Valley ARC | N6CA | 146.640 | − | 100.0 | FM | Open | Antelope Valley / Palmdale-Lancaster | AVARC primary repeater. Primary hub for the Palmdale/Lancaster/Rosamond ham community. Active club nets. |
| Victorville ARC | W6LIE | 146.505 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Victor Valley — Victorville / Hesperia / Apple Valley | Victorville ARC machine. Primary hub for the Victor Valley ham community. Active EmComm affiliation. |
| PAPA 29 | WA6YBN | 448.400 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | Low Potosi Mtn — Las Vegas / NV border | PAPA System's Nevada node. On the way to Las Vegas — great I-15 corridor coverage into Nevada. |
The Coachella Valley has a solid local repeater community built around Palm Springs, Indio, and the Desert Arc. Toro Peak (8,716 ft) is the dominant high site for the region.
| System | Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Site / Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert ARC | W6DXW | 146.760 | − | 107.2 | FM | Open | Coachella Valley — Palm Springs / Indio | Desert ARC primary machine. Most-used everyday repeater in the Coachella Valley. Active community. |
| Desert ARC | W6DXW | 447.680 | − | 107.2 | FM | Open | Coachella Valley — 70cm | Desert ARC 70cm companion to 146.760. Program both for full valley coverage. |
| Condor Connection | WB6RHQ | 224.180 | − | 156.7 | FM (220 MHz) | Open | Toro Peak — Palm Desert / Coachella Valley | Condor Connection 220 MHz at the dominant valley high site (8,716 ft). Excellent valley floor coverage. |
| PAPA 25 | WA6YBN | 447.200 | − | 100.0 | FM | Member | Toro Peak — Coachella Valley / Desert | PAPA System Toro Peak node. Excellent Coachella Valley and Anza-Borrego Desert coverage from an extreme high site. |
| RCARC | K6LNK | 147.045 | + | 100.0 | FM | Open | Palm Springs area | Riverside County ARC Coachella Valley machine. Active club, good for the greater Palm Springs area. |
New to an area? This is the single best everyday repeater to try first. These are not emergency frequencies — just the best starting points for a QSO.
| Area | Best First Stop | Freq (MHz) | PL | Access | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌆 Los Angeles Basin | WIN — Santiago Peak (K6JSI) | 448.060 − | 100.0 | Open | Open, wide LA Basin coverage, always activity. Best first machine for LA. |
| 🏔️ San Fernando Valley | WIN — Chatsworth / SFV (K6JSI) | 448.900 − | 100.0 | Open | WIN SFV node. Active all day. Good Simi, Chatsworth, and Van Nuys coverage. |
| 🏄 Orange County | OC ARES — W4MCO | 443.050 + | 103.5 | Open | OC's best-maintained open machine. Active, well-run community with five linked sites. |
| ⛵ San Diego | PARC — Palomar Mtn (W6NWG) | 146.730 − | 107.2 | Open | SD's flagship repeater. Outstanding audio, county-wide coverage, daily activity. |
| 🏔️ Inland Empire | KPRA — Keller Peak (KE6TZG) | 146.385 + | 146.2 | Member | IE's most active machine by a wide margin. Multiple daily nets. Membership worth it. |
| 🌊 Ventura County | VC ACS/ARES — Sulphur Mtn (WD6EBY) | 145.200 − | 127.3 | Open | County-wide coverage, multi-site linked. The definitive Ventura County machine. |
| 🌴 Santa Barbara | WIN — Santa Ynez Peak (K6JSI) | 448.900 − | 123.0 | Open | Best single-repeater SB county coverage. Note PL 123.0 — different from LA WIN nodes. |
| 🏜️ High Desert / AV | AVARC — Antelope Valley (N6CA) | 146.640 − | 100.0 | Open | The local club machine everyone in the AV knows. Active nets and friendly community. |
| 🌵 Coachella Valley | Desert ARC (W6DXW) | 146.760 − | 107.2 | Open | Primary local machine for Palm Springs / Indio / Coachella area. Active daily. |
| ⛰️ San Bernardino Mtns | Heaps Peak ARC (W6TOP) | 146.085 + | 127.3 | Open | Excellent mountain site — wide reach into surrounding valleys. Active community. |
| 🌊 Catalina Island | CARA — Catalina ARC (AA6DP) | 147.090 + | No PL | Open | Solar-powered, open, works out to sea. Unique marine coverage. 50+ years active. |
Linked Repeater Systems
Every major linked repeater system serving Southern California — sorted open first, then membership/private. Open systems are free for any licensed ham to use. If you use an open system regularly, consider donating to help keep it running.
100+ linked repeaters spanning CA, 16 states, and 4 countries. IRLP Node 9100. Owned & operated by K6JSI. winsystem.org
| # | Site | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Band | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vista | 448.800 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Oceanside / Vista / North SD |
| 2 | Palomar Mtn | 449.080 | − | 123.0 | 70cm | Open | Palomar Mtn — North San Diego County |
| 3 | Mt. Otay | 447.640 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Mt. Otay — South San Diego |
| 4 | Santiago Peak | 448.060 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Santiago Pk — Orange & Riverside Counties |
| 5 | Santa Ynez Peak | 448.900 | − | 123.0 | 70cm | Open | Santa Ynez Peak — Santa Barbara County |
| 6 | Sunset Ridge (2m) | 147.210 | + | 100.0 | 2m | Open | Sunset Ridge — Pomona / West Riverside |
| 7 | Sunset Ridge (220) | 224.160 | − | 71.9 | 220 MHz | Open | Sunset Ridge — Pomona / Riverside (220 MHz) |
| 8 | Chatsworth / SFV Loop | 448.900 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Los Angeles Basin & San Fernando Valley |
| 9 | Mt. Disappointment | 446.460 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Mt. Disappointment — SFV / Angeles NF |
| 10 | Santa Anita Ridge | 447.580 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Santa Anita Ridge — LA / OC border |
| 11 | Thousand Oaks | 448.940 | − | 100.0 | 70cm | Open | Thousand Oaks / Moorpark / Simi / Oxnard |
Open 220 MHz linked system covering CA, NV, AZ, and northern Mexico. Less crowded than 2m or 70cm — a hidden gem. condorconnection.org
| Call | Site | Location | Freq (MHz) | PL | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WB6RHQ | Rasnow Peak | Thousand Oaks / Ventura Co. | 223.940 | 156.7 | Open | Good SFV / Ventura County coverage |
| K8BUW | Santiago Peak | Orange County | 224.820 | 156.7 | Open | Dominant OC high site — excellent coverage |
| WB6RHQ | Toro Peak | Palm Desert / Coachella Valley | 224.180 | 156.7 | Open | 8,716 ft — superb valley floor coverage |
| W2IRI | Lyons Peak | San Diego County | 223.940 | 141.3 | Open | SD County node — note different PL |
| K7GIL | Quartzite Mtn | Victorville / High Desert | 223.840 | 156.7 | Open | Victor Valley & High Desert IE coverage |
| WB6RHQ | Frazier Mtn | Gorman / I-5 Corridor | 224.720 | 156.7 | Open | Tejon Pass — great for I-5 travelers |
| WB6BRU | Goat Mtn | San Joaquin Valley | 224.900 | 156.7 | Open | Northern gateway node into Central CA |
Solar-powered, continuously active for 50+ years. Unique marine mobile coverage. EchoLink & AllStar connected. cararadio.com
| Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA6DP | 147.090 | +0.600 | No PL (CSQ) | FM | Open | Main Catalina 2m — primary site. Works out to sea. |
| AA6DP | 446.140 | − | 110.9 | FM | Open | Avalon local — linked to 147.090 |
| AA6DP | 448.900 | −5.00 | 110.9 | FM / C4FM | Open | Catalina 70cm — Fusion and analog |
| AA6DP | 224.420 | −1.600 | 110.9 | FM (220) | Open | EchoLink *CATALINA* Node #384712 |
| AA6DP | 224.320 | − | 151.4 | FM (220) | Open | Costa Mesa node — AllStar N6ACG #57403 |
| AA6DP | 51.860 | −0.500 | 82.5 | FM (6m) | Open | 6m Catalina machine — active during E-skip |
17 statewide linked 440 MHz repeaters from San Diego to Lake Tahoe. AllStar + Brandmeister DMR. Open to all. calnet.org
| Site | Freq (MHz) | PL In | Mode | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasants Peak | 449.600 − | 151.4 | FM / C4FM | Open | LA & Orange County — excellent high site |
| Sunset Ridge | 447.020 − | 110.9 | FM / C4FM | Open | LA & San Bernardino County |
| Heaps Peak | 445.740 − | 136.5 | FM | Open | San Bernardino, Riverside, High Desert |
| Santiago Peak | 448.080 − | 88.5 | FM | Open | LA / OC / Southland wide coverage |
Paul Strauss WD6EBY's multi-site linked system covering all of Ventura County and beyond. Includes 2m, 70cm, and a growing mesh network. Open to all hams.
| Site | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur Mountain | 145.200 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Primary — county-wide Ventura coverage |
| Sulphur Mountain | 449.020 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | 70cm companion — same excellent coverage |
| Camarillo Hills | 146.985 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Camarillo / Oxnard / Point Mugu area |
| Chatsworth Peak | 147.825 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | West SFV / Simi Valley / Moorpark |
| Rasnow Peak | 146.700 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Thousand Oaks / Conejo Valley |
| Laguna Peak | 147.555 | + | 127.3 | FM | Open | Malibu / PCH coastal corridor |
| Santa Ynez Peak | 146.610 | − | 127.3 | FM | Open | Santa Barbara County / northern VC |
Linked 70cm system covering Northern & Central California and western Nevada. SoCal coverage from the Tehachapi node. Open to all licensed hams. carlaradio.net
| Site | Freq (MHz) | PL | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehachapi (SoCal gateway) | 449.580 − | 100.0 | Open | Tehachapi Mtn — SoCal / Central CA link |
| Pine Flat (Central CA) | 449.360 − | 100.0 | Open | Fresno / Kings River area |
| Mt. Oso (Bay Area) | 449.700 − | 100.0 | Open | San Jose / South Bay |
Open system with Santiago Peak and Barstow sites. Wide SoCal coverage — particularly good for SD and the I-15 corridor. 145220.com
| Site | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Peak | 145.220 | − | 107.2 | Open | Orange / LA / SD Counties from Santiago Peak |
| Barstow | 145.220 | − | 100.0 | Open | High Desert / I-15 / I-40 corridor to Barstow |
33 analog + DMR + D-STAR + P25 repeaters on 19+ hilltops. Coverage from Mexican border to SLO. Free to listen via Broadcastify. Membership opens TX access. papasys.com
| PAPA # | Site | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAPA 03 / SGO | Santiago Peak | 446.760 | − | 100.0 | FM / D-STAR / DMR | Member | LA, OC, SD, Riverside — massive multi-county reach |
| PAPA 04 / SDL | Saddle Peak | 447.680 | − | 100.0 | FM / D-STAR / DMR / P25 | Member | West LA, Santa Monica, Malibu — full Westside |
| PAPA 05 / SIG | Signal Peak (Laguna) | 447.340 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | Coastal OC / North SD County corridor |
| PAPA 06 / LUK | Mt. Lukens | 447.260 | − | 100.0 | FM | Member | Northeast LA Basin / upper San Fernando Valley |
| PAPA 08 / WIL | Mt. Wilson | 448.420 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | Entire LA Basin — the definitive LA high site |
| PAPA 11 / BLK | Black Mountain (SD) | 448.160 | − | 100.0 | FM / D-STAR / DMR | Member | North San Diego County |
| PAPA 21 | Redlands | 146.730 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | San Bernardino Valley / Redlands area |
| PAPA 22 / A22 | Pleasants Peak | 447.920 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | South OC / North SD — alternative to Santiago |
| PAPA 24 / ELS | Elsinore Peak | 447.700 | − | 100.0 | FM / DMR | Member | SW Riverside / Lake Elsinore / Murrieta / Temecula |
| PAPA 25 | Toro Peak | 447.200 | − | 100.0 | FM | Member | Coachella Valley / Anza-Borrego — 8,716 ft site |
| PAPA 28 | Needles | 447.000 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | Needles / Colorado River / I-40 East IE |
| PAPA 29 | Low Potosi (NV) | 448.400 | − | 127.3 | FM | Member | Las Vegas metro — I-15 corridor coverage |
| PAPA 30 | South Mountain (Ventura) | 446.360 | − | 156.7 | FM | Member | Oxnard Plain / Ventura city area |
| PAPA 31 | Daniel Peak (East SD) | 447.640 | − | 103.5 | FM | Member | East San Diego County / Anza-Borrego approaches |
IE's most active repeater community. Multiple daily nets. Membership is highly recommended and open to all. IRLP Node 3216. kpra.net
| Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Band | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KE6TZG | 146.385 | + | 146.2 | 2m | Member | IE primary — daily swap, trivia, outdoor, traffic nets. IRLP #3216. |
| KE6TZG | 224.040 | − | 146.2 | 220 MHz | Member | 220 MHz companion — same great site and community. |
| KE6TZG | 449.925 | − | 146.2 | 70cm | Member | 70cm companion — program all three KPRA machines. |
LA County's hospital-affiliated ARES linked system. Active since 1959. Primary net Mondays 9 PM. Many hospital participants. darn.org
| Call | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL / Tone | Mode | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K6LNK | 445.140 | − | DCS 211 | FM (DCS) | Open | Mt. Wilson — LA County / hospital network wide |
| K6LNK | 224.300 | − | DCS 211 | FM (DCS) | Open | 220 MHz DARN companion — same Mt. Wilson site |
Orange County ARES multi-site linked system. Analog and P25/DMR digital. Well-maintained and very active. ocares.org
| Site | Freq (MHz) | Offset | PL | Mode | Access | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown OC (Primary) | 443.050 | + | 103.5 | FM / P25 | Open | Primary OC ARES machine — county-wide |
| Downtown OC (2m) | 146.625 | − | 103.5 | FM | Open | OC ARES 2m linked companion |
| East OC | 443.525 | + | 103.5 | FM | Open | Anaheim Hills / East Orange County |
| Pine Hills | 444.125 | + | 103.5 | FM | Open | Pine Hills area — South OC / inland |
| Southwest OC | 443.775 | + | 103.5 | FM | Open | SW Orange County / Laguna Beach area |
Established 1971. Private remote base network covering CA, AZ, NM, NV, UT, CO, TX and beyond. Operated by Cactus Intertie, Inc. (501c3). Linked via full-duplex RF on 420 MHz. Membership ~$125/yr. cactus-intertie.org
| Site | Primary Freq | Access | Coverage / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Wilson (LA) | 449.000 − | Private | Main LA node. PL varies — contact CII. Huge LA Basin coverage from 5,710 ft. |
| Santiago Peak (OC) | 449.000 − | Private | OC / Riverside node. Same 449.000 family — verify exact freq with CII. |
| Sunset Ridge (IE) | 420.675 + | Private | Historic IE/LA border node. 420 MHz links carry the inter-site backbone. |
| San Bernardino Mtns | 449.000 − | Private | Mountain node for IE and surrounding areas. Emergency power equipped. |
| Statewide + Multi-State | Various | Private | 12+ nodes in CA alone. Extends to AZ, NM, NV, UT, CO, TX, DC area, GA, MT. See cactus-intertie.org for full site list. |
Founded 1964 by WA6COT. 7 UHF inter-linked sites on 9 mountain tops from SLO to San Diego and into Las Vegas. 649 miles of RF links, 43 transmitters. Provides link ports to the Cactus Intertie System. All members are control operators. Emergency power at all sites.
| Coverage Area | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo → San Diego → Las Vegas | Private | Closed membership system. 9 mountain tops, custom-built sites. Linked to Cactus Intertie. Contact WA6COT for info. |
| System | Mode | SoCal Entry Point | Access | Website | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandmeister DMR | DMR | Many SoCal repeaters — search by TG | Open | brandmeister.network | World's largest DMR network. TG 3106 = California. Access via any Brandmeister-connected repeater or hotspot. |
| Western States DMR | DMR | Multiple SoCal sites | Open | westernstatesdmr.com | Open DMR C-Bridge network. Hosts Cactus TG 3185. TG CORA (8850) active. Weekly net Mondays 7 PM. |
| PAPA DMR | DMR | 446.760 − PL 100.0 (Santiago) | Member | papasys.com | PAPA's own DMR network linked across all PAPA sites. Standard PAPA TG lineup. |
| PAPA D-STAR | D-STAR | 447.680 − (Saddle Peak) | Member | papasys.com | PAPA D-STAR system. Sites at Saddle Peak (D4), Santiago (D3), Black Mountain (SD). Register your call with D-STAR first. |
| REF / DCS / XRF | D-STAR | Any D-STAR repeater | Open | dstarinfo.com | Global D-STAR reflectors. REF001C is very active. Connect from any D-STAR radio via local D-STAR repeater. |
| Yaesu WIRES-X / C4FM | C4FM / Fusion | W6NWG Palomar, CARA 448.900, others | Open | yaesu.com/wires-x | Yaesu's digital linking system. Many SoCal repeaters are Fusion-enabled. Room #26232 = SoCal Fusion. |
| PAPA P25 | P25 | Multiple PAPA sites | Member | papasys.com | PAPA's P25 network. Interoperable with public safety P25. Popular with EmComm operators. Check papasys.com for current site status. |
| System | SoCal Entry | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRLP — Internet Radio Linking Project | WIN System Node 9100 · KPRA Node 3216 · Many others | Open | DTMF-controlled VoIP linking. Dial node numbers from any IRLP repeater to connect worldwide. irlp.net |
| EchoLink | CARA Node 384712 · W6NWG · Many others | Open | Connects repeaters and PCs via internet. Licensed hams can connect from a smartphone app. echolink.org |
| AllStar / app_rpt | CARA N6ACG Node 57403 · Calnet nodes · Others | Open | Open-source node linking. Hubs at allstarlink.org. Connect via DTMF or the DVSwitch app. Very active in SoCal. |
Disaster Freq's
A complete, verified channel list for Southern California earthquakes and natural disasters. Program these before you need them.
A scanner, SDR, or wideband HT lets you monitor these alongside your ham frequencies. No ham license needed to receive any of these.
- 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
Band Plan & Resources
Current ARRL band plan, DX and propagation tools, and quick reference for key frequencies.
| 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 |
HF Propagation
Live solar conditions from NOAA — MUF estimates, gray-line map, and band-by-band outlook calculated from the current Solar Flux Index and K-index. Refreshes automatically every 15 minutes.
Live solar data from NOAA, updated every 15 minutes. MUF (Maximum Usable Frequency) estimates are calculated from the current Solar Flux Index and K-index — they reflect typical SoCal-to-target-region propagation. Gray-line updates in real time based on UTC.
| Target Region | Distance | Est. MUF | Best Bands Now | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading solar data… | ||||
The gray-line is the twilight zone sweeping westward at ~1,040 mph. Best DX happens when it crosses both your QTH and your target simultaneously — within ~30 min of your local sunrise or sunset.
| Target | Their Sunrise (UTC) | Their Sunset (UTC) | Shared Window? | Status Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculating… | ||||
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.
Simplex Frequency Guide
Simplex means radio-to-radio with no repeater in between. When repeaters are down or you just want to talk locally, these are your go-to frequencies for Southern California.
| Frequency | Use / Notes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 146.520 MHz | National 2m Calling & Emergency Frequency — the single most important simplex freq every ham must have. Universal fallback when all repeaters fail. | Must Have |
| 146.580 MHz | North American Adventure / SOTA Frequency — popular for hiking, SOTA activations, and outdoor ops throughout SoCal. | Recommended |
| 146.550 MHz | Active simplex frequency — commonly used in the LA Basin for local ragchewing and short-range contacts. | Recommended |
| 147.510 MHz | Popular simplex frequency throughout SoCal. Good second channel when 146.520 is busy. | Recommended |
| 145.570 MHz | Lake Balboa Emergency Preparedness Net — Sunday 9:00 AM. Also general simplex use. | Program |
| 145.525 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex — good general use channel, less busy than 146.520. | Program |
| 145.540 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex channel. | Program |
| 145.555 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex channel. | Program |
| 146.445 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex channel. Used occasionally for local contacts in the LA/OC area. | Program |
| 146.535 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex channel. Just above the calling frequency — useful as a working channel. | Program |
| 146.565 MHz | T-hunt (foxhunt/hidden transmitter hunt) frequency in SoCal. Also general simplex. | Optional |
| 146.595 MHz | TASMA approved SoCal simplex channel. | Optional |
| 144.200 MHz | National 2m SSB Calling Frequency — weak signal, SSB mode only. Used by the Western States Weak Signal Net (Sundays 4:30 PM). | SSB/Weak Sig |
| Frequency | Use / Notes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 446.000 MHz | National 70cm Calling & Emergency Simplex — the 70cm equivalent of 146.520. Essential backup when 2m is congested. Every ham should have this programmed. | Must Have |
| 446.500 MHz | TASMA approved 70cm simplex for Southern California. Good secondary UHF simplex channel. | Recommended |
| 445.925 MHz | Adjacent to national calling — useful working channel after making contact on 446.000. | Program |
| Frequency | Use / Notes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 223.500 MHz | National 220 MHz Simplex Calling Frequency — the universal calling/emergency simplex for the 1.25m band nationwide. | Must Have |
| 223.400–223.480 MHz | Additional simplex channels on 220 MHz (15 kHz spacing in California). Less busy — good for private local contacts. | Program |
| Frequency | Use / Notes |
|---|---|
| 52.525 MHz | National 6m FM Simplex Calling Frequency — during E-skip openings this frequency lights up. SoCal ops monitor this regularly during summer sporadic-E season. |
| 50.125 MHz | National 6m SSB Calling Frequency — weak signal DX ops. During openings you can work stations across the country from SoCal. |
| 52.540 MHz | Secondary 6m FM simplex — used as a working channel after making contact on 52.525. |
- Listen before transmitting. In the LA Basin especially, 146.520 can have ongoing QSOs you can only hear one side of due to terrain. Always listen for 10–15 seconds first.
- Keep 146.520 for calling only. Make contact, then move to a working frequency like 146.550 or 146.535 for longer QSOs.
- Program simplex AND repeaters. Alternate between simplex and your local repeater channels so you can quickly switch based on conditions.
- Simplex range varies by terrain. In flat areas like the Coachella Valley or OC, HT-to-HT simplex can reach 10+ miles. In hilly LA, it might be 1–2 miles. A mobile antenna dramatically improves range.
- SOTA & hiking. Use 146.580 (adventure frequency) for summit activations. Announce your freq on 146.520 first, then move.
Net Directory
The most comprehensive SoCal net schedule online — organized by day. Click any day below to jump straight to it. All times are Pacific local time. Sources: AA6ED (edsradio.com) and ARRL net directory.
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judy's Net (NB6J) | 7:45 AM | Social | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | Long-running morning net on the IE EmComm repeater. Very welcoming to all. |
| CARA Net at Nine (AM) | 9:00 AM | Wellness | 147.090 + (Catalina) / 224.420 − PL 110.9 | Wellness check-in net on solar-powered Catalina CARA system. Weekdays. |
| CARA Net at Nine (PM) | 9:00 PM | Wellness | 147.090 + (Catalina) / 224.420 − PL 110.9 | Evening version of the CARA wellness net. Weekdays. |
| Rio Hondo ARC Health & Welfare Net | 9:00 AM | Wellness | 146.175 + PL 156.7 (W6GNS) | Friendly morning net — health, welfare, and trivia. Weekdays. |
| GOTA Hams Net | 7:30 PM | Social | 449.160 − PL 77.0 (WG6OTA) | Get On The Air — nightly net, great for new hams. Exc. 2nd Thursday. |
| Keller Peak Red Eye Net | 10:00 PM | Social | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Late night casual net on Keller Peak. Night owls always welcome. |
| Citrus Belt ARC Tech Net (W6JBT) | 7:00 AM | Tech | 146.850 − PL 146.2 | Morning technical net for IE hams. Weekdays. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Balboa Emergency Preparedness Net | 9:00 AM | EmComm | 145.570 (Simplex) | EmComm preparedness net — simplex operation. Great practice for disasters. |
| SoCal Boater's Net | 9:00 AM | Social | PAPA System | For boaters and maritime enthusiasts throughout SoCal. |
| Western States Weak Signal Net | 4:30 PM | Tech | 144.200 MHz SSB | VHF weak signal — SSB mode. Great for antenna work and propagation experiments. |
| Wrightwood Disaster Preparedness Net | 6:00 PM | EmComm | 145.280 − PL 131.8 | Mountain community EmComm preparedness net — San Gabriel Mountains. |
| Conejo Valley ARC Newbie Net (AA6CV) | 7:00 PM | Social | 147.885 − PL 127.3 (N6JMI) | Excellent for new hams. Friendly and welcoming — Ventura County focus. |
| Victor Valley ARC Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 146.940 − PL 91.5 | High Desert net covering Victorville / Apple Valley region. |
| Yucaipa ARS (YARS) Net | 7:30 PM | Social | 147.180 + PL 88.5 (AI6BX) | Inland Empire / Yucaipa area club net. |
| QCWA So Cal Chapter 7 Net | 7:30 PM | Social | DARN System | Quarter Century Wireless Association — for hams licensed 25+ years. |
| DARN Chat Net | 7:45 PM | Social | DARN System | Weekly social net on DARN linked system covering most of SoCal. |
| Topanga DRT Net | 7:30 PM | EmComm | PAPA System | Topanga Disaster Radio Team — community preparedness net. |
| EmComm Hub on Keller Net | 8:00 PM | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Riverside County EmComm Group net on Keller Peak. |
| SANDRA Net | 8:00 PM | Social | 146.640 − PL 107.2 (WB6WLV) | San Diego Repeater Association weekly net. |
| Culver City ARES Net | 8:00 PM | EmComm | 445.600 − PL 131.8 (K6CCR) | LA County / Culver City ARES weekly EmComm net. |
| Crescenta Valley RC Net | 8:00 PM | Social | 146.025 + PL 136.5 (WB6ZTY) | "What's Going On?" net — Crescenta Valley / La Crescenta area. |
| SATERN Net | 8:00 PM | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network — Keller Peak. |
| ARRL Southwestern Division Net | 8:00 AM | Social | PAPA System + 3.965 MHz HF (N6VI) | Simulcast on PAPA analog + 75m HF. ARRL elected officials check in. Statewide reach. |
| SD Northern District ARES Net | 8:30 AM | EmComm | 146.730 − PL 107.2 (Palomar) | San Diego Northern District ARES weekly check-in. |
| C4FM Digital Net | 5:00 PM | Digital | 147.075 + PL 107.2 (Palomar) | Daily C4FM Fusion digital net on Palomar. Good intro to digital modes. |
| PAPA SoCal Boaters Net | 9:00 AM | Social | PAPA System (all analog) | For boaters and maritime operators across Southern California. |
| Topanga DRT Net | 7:30 PM | EmComm | PAPA System (all analog) | Topanga Disaster Radio Team — community EmComm preparedness net. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPL Noon Net | 12:00 PM | Social | 224.080 − PL 156.7 / 445.200 − PL 103.5 | JPL EARS weekly net — 220 & 70cm. Every Monday. |
| LA County DCS (RACES) Net | 7:00 PM | EmComm | 147.270 + PL 100.0 (WA6ZTR) | Official LA County Disaster Communications Service EmComm net. |
| Orange County RACES/ACS Net | 7:00 PM | EmComm | 146.895 − PL 136.5 (W6KRW) | OC RACES official net — Emergency coordinators check in. |
| Riverside County ARA Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 146.880 − PL 146.2 (W6TJ) | Riverside County ARA club net. 4th Monday on simplex. |
| Seal Beach / Los Alamitos ARES Net | 7:00 PM | EmComm | DARN System | OC coastal ARES net on the DARN linked system. |
| Western IE Hospital Net (1st Mon) | 7:00 PM | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Hospital coordination net on Keller Peak — first Monday of each month. |
| SB County Fire EmComm (1st Mon) | 7:30 PM | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | SB County Fire Emergency Comms — first Monday of each month. |
| ARRL LAX Division Net (LAN/V) | 8:30 PM | Traffic | SCRN / DARN repeater systems | Tue & Thu. LA section traffic net — pass NTS messages. |
| NTS Traffic Net (SCN/V) | 9:00 PM | Traffic | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | NTS traffic net — Mon / Wed / Fri on Keller Peak. |
| DARN Hospital Net (KPRA) | 7:00 PM 1st Mon | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | Hospital radio check-in. IE hospitals testing gear monthly. |
| SB Co. Fire ECS Net | 7:30 PM 1st Mon | EmComm | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | San Bernardino County Fire Emergency Communications Services. Rotates among ECS members. |
| PAPA DMR Net | 8:00 PM | Digital | PAPA System — TG 31078 | Weekly DMR roundtable. Topics: radios, programming, hotspots, networks. |
| OC ARES Training Net | 7:30 PM | EmComm | 443.050 + PL 103.5 (W4MCO) | Orange County ARES weekly training and check-in net. |
| LA DCS/RACES Net | 7:00 PM | EmComm | 145.300 − DCS (LA County) | LA County Disaster Communications Service primary net. Monday evening. |
| NTS Pacific Area Net | 9:00 PM | Traffic | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | National Traffic System formal traffic net — Mon/Wed/Fri on Keller Peak. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBARC Digital & Projects Net (K6TZ) | 8:00 PM | Tech | 146.790 − PL 131.8 | Santa Barbara ARC — digital modes, technical projects. Newcomers welcome. |
| ARRL LAX Division Net (LAN/V) | 8:30 PM | Traffic | SCRN / DARN repeater systems | Tue & Thu. LA section NTS traffic net. |
| PAPA Tuesday Night Net | 8:00 PM | Social | PAPA System | Weekly social net on the PAPA linked system — SoCal wide. |
| Bozo Net — Weak Signal | 7:00 PM | Tech | 144.240 (Simplex — SSB) | Weak signal SSB/CW net. Sun & Wed also. VHF propagation enthusiasts. |
| PAPA P25 Net | 7:00 PM | Digital | PAPA System — P25 TG 31078 | Weekly P25 net. Topics: P25 radios, programming, talkgroups, hotspots. |
| PAPA D-STAR Net | 8:00 PM | Digital | PAPA System — XRF012A | Weekly D-STAR net. Topics: D-STAR radios, linking, hotspots. |
| SD Regional Response Comm Net | 6:30 PM | EmComm | 147.075 + PL 107.2 (Palomar) | SD regional EmComm net. Simplex net 1st Tuesday. UHF net 3rd Tuesday. |
| SOBARS Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 146.085 + PL 100.0 (W6TOP) | South OC/North SD club net. Friendly and active. |
| Skywarn Net | 7:00 PM | EmComm | 147.030 + PL 103.5 | NWS Skywarn severe weather spotters net — San Diego. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keller Peak Swap Net | 7:00 PM | Swap | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Buy, sell, and trade ham gear on the IE EmComm repeater. Popular weekly net. |
| NTS Traffic Net (SCN/V) | 9:00 PM | Traffic | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | NTS traffic net — Mon / Wed / Fri on Keller Peak. |
| Bozo Net — Weak Signal | 7:00 PM | Tech | 144.240 (Simplex — SSB) | Weak signal SSB/CW net. Sun & Tue also. VHF propagation enthusiasts. |
| DARN Wednesday Net | 8:00 PM | Social | DARN System | Midweek social net on the DARN SoCal-wide linked system. |
| Leisure World Seal Beach Net | 9:00 AM | Social | 146.790 − PL 103.5 (K6SYU) | Active Seal Beach area net. Mon–Sat. |
| PAPA New Hams Net | 7:00 PM | Social | PAPA System (all analog) | For new and returning hams. No mic fright — very welcoming. Ask anything. |
| KPRA Swap Net | 7:00 PM | Swap | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | Weekly equipment swap/trade net. Advertise gear for sale or wanted. Very popular in IE. |
| SD BSA Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 146.730 − PL 107.2 (Palomar) | Boy Scouts of America amateur radio net. San Diego area. |
| LARC Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 449.440 − PL 107.2 | LARC Wednesday net (except 2nd Wednesday). San Diego area. |
| SANDRA Net | 7:30 PM | Social | 147.150 + / 449.500 + / 224.200 + PL 107.2 (Mt. Laguna linked) | San Diego Repeater Association linked net. C4FM discussion follows. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keller Peak Outdoor Adventure Net | 7:30 PM | Social | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Hiking, camping, SOTA, and outdoor activities for SoCal hams. Very popular. |
| SBARC Tech Mentoring Net (K6TZ) | 8:00 PM | Tech | 146.790 − PL 131.8 | Santa Barbara — technical mentoring and elmering. Great for new hams learning the ropes. |
| ARRL LAX Division Net (LAN/V) | 8:30 PM | Traffic | SCRN / DARN repeater systems | Tue & Thu. LA section NTS traffic net. |
| DARN Thursday Net | 8:00 PM | Social | DARN System | Weekly DARN net — hospital and ARES affiliated. Active SoCal-wide. |
| PAPA Technical Roundtable | 8:00 PM | Tech | PAPA System (all modes) | No question goes unanswered. Technical discussion — antennas, digital modes, equipment. |
| MARC Monthly Net | 7:15 PM 1st Thu | Social | PAPA System — TG 31078 | Motorcycle Amateur Radio Club monthly net. First Thursday only. |
| SD ARES EC Net | 7:30 PM | EmComm | 147.060 + / 449.260 − / 449.440 − PL 107.2 | San Diego ARES linked trio. Main SD EmComm training net. Followed by DMR net. |
| Black Mountain Net | 7:00 PM | Social | 445.680 − PL 123.0 | Poway / North SD community net on Black Mountain machine. |
| SD ARES DMR Net | 7:45 PM | Digital | PAPA System — TG 310343 (SD ARES) | Follows the Thursday analog ARES net. Digital-mode EmComm practice. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keller Peak Trivia Net | 7:30 PM | Social | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | Fun Friday night trivia on Keller Peak. Great way to end the week — all welcome. |
| NTS Traffic Net (SCN/V) | 9:00 PM | Traffic | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (KE6TZG) | NTS traffic net — Mon / Wed / Fri on Keller Peak. |
| San Diego ARA Net | 8:00 PM | Social | 147.015 + PL 107.2 (W6IO) | San Diego ARA Friday night social net. Active SD ham community. |
| Antelope Valley ARES Net | 7:30 PM | EmComm | 146.640 − PL 100.0 (WR6AOH) | Antelope Valley / High Desert ARES weekly EmComm net. |
| PAPA Antenna Net | 7:00 PM | Tech | PAPA System (all analog) | Antenna IQ net — tips, questions, and discussion on all things antenna. |
| ARRL Newsline (KPRA) | 6:30 PM | Social | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | ARRL Amateur Radio Newsline — current ham radio news. Short and informative. |
| C4FM Community Help Net | 7:00 PM | Digital | 146.730 − PL 107.2 (Palomar) | Starts analog FM, switches to C4FM digital mode partway through. |
| NTS Net (Keller) | 9:00 PM | Traffic | 146.385 + PL 146.2 (Keller Peak) | National Traffic System — formal traffic handling. Mon/Wed/Fri. |
| Net Name | Time (PT) | Type | Frequency / System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leisure World Seal Beach Net | 9:00 AM | Social | 146.790 − PL 103.5 (K6SYU) | Active Seal Beach area net — runs Mon through Sat at 9 AM. |
| PAPA Saturday Morning Net | 9:00 AM | Social | PAPA System | PAPA linked system Saturday morning social net — SoCal wide coverage. |
| Ventura County ACS Saturday Net | 8:00 AM | EmComm | 145.200 − PL 127.3 (WD6EBY) | VC ACS/ARES Saturday morning check-in on the Sulphur Mountain county-wide machine. |
- Listen first. Before checking in, listen for 30 seconds to understand the format — directed or roundtable.
- Full callsign clearly. Use phonetics if conditions are poor: "Kilo Echo 6 Mike Golf Bravo."
- Keep check-ins brief. Most nets want: callsign, name, location. Save the long QSO for after the net.
- Emergency traffic always goes first. Announce it immediately when NCS asks — it jumps to the head of the line.
- ARES/RACES nets welcome listeners. Even if not enrolled, monitoring EmComm nets keeps you current on procedures.
New Ham Guide
Just got your license? Congratulations! Southern California is one of the best places in the world to be a ham. Here's everything you need to get on the air fast.
You don't need to spend a lot to get started. Most new hams in SoCal start with a handheld transceiver (HT) that covers 2m and 70cm — the two most active bands locally.
| Radio | Price Range | Why It's Good for Beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Baofeng UV-5R / UV-82 | $25–$35 | Cheapest way to get on the air. Covers 2m and 70cm. Programming can be tricky — use CHIRP software (free). Popular, lots of online help available. Not the best audio quality but works fine for local nets and repeaters. |
| Yaesu FT-60R | ~$130 | Big step up in quality, durability, and audio. Easy to program manually. Very popular in SoCal EmComm — trusted by ARES/RACES operators. Great first "real" HT. |
| Yaesu FT-65R | ~$90 | Compact dual-band HT, waterproof, excellent audio. Great mid-range option if the FT-60R is out of budget. |
| Kenwood TH-D75A | ~$550 | Premium HT with built-in APRS, D-STAR, and a receiver covering almost everything. Not for most beginners — but worth knowing about when you're ready to upgrade. |
The easiest way to program most HTs is with CHIRP — free open-source software that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Connect your radio via a programming cable and import channels directly.
- 146.520 MHz simplex — National emergency calling. No PL tone. This is channel 1 in every SoCal ham's radio.
- 146.385 + PL 146.2 — Keller Peak (KE6TZG) — The IE EmComm repeater. Wide coverage, very active, great for getting your first QSOs.
- 446.000 MHz simplex — National 70cm emergency simplex. No PL tone.
- 144.390 MHz — APRS — Set this as a receive-only channel so your radio can hear APRS traffic in your area.
- Your county ARES/RACES repeater — Find yours in the Regions section of this site and add it to your radio now, before you ever need it.
- Tune to the frequency and listen for 30 seconds. Make sure it's not in use before transmitting anything.
- When NCS asks for check-ins, press PTT and say just your callsign clearly: "Kilo Echo 6 Mike Golf Bravo"
- NCS will acknowledge you and ask for your name and location: "My name is [your name], I'm in [your city], 73!"
- That's it — you did it! Your first net check-in is the hardest part. It gets easier every time.
- Best nets for beginners: Conejo Valley ARC Newbie Net (Sun 7PM, 147.885 −), CARA Net at Nine (daily 9AM, 147.090), and GOTA Hams Net (nightly 7:30PM, 449.160 −).
A local club is the fastest way to learn, meet other hams, and get access to club repeaters and equipment. Most clubs are free or very low cost to join. Find one near you:
Technician gets you on VHF/UHF. General class opens up HF (shortwave) — suddenly you can talk to hams across the US and worldwide. Most Technicians upgrade to General within a year. It's worth it!
Emergency Freq's
by Region
County-by-county ARES and RACES primary frequencies for Southern California. These are emergency communication frequencies only — not casual operating channels. For everyday repeaters see the Frequencies section.
| Net | Time | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital Net | 7:00 PM | First Monday / month |
| SB County Fire EmComm | 7:30 PM | First Monday / month |
| NTS Traffic Net (SCN/V) | 9:00 PM | Mon / Wed / Fri |
| SATERN | 8:00 PM | Sunday nights |
| EmComm Hub on Keller | 8:00 PM | Sunday nights |
ARES & RACES Info
Everything you need to know about organized emergency communication in Southern California — who runs it, how to join, and what to expect.
An ARRL program. Volunteer hams who provide emergency communications support for public agencies, hospitals, Red Cross, and other served agencies. Open to any licensed ham. Organized by county with an Emergency Coordinator (EC) in charge. No government affiliation — purely volunteer.
A government program administered by FEMA. Hams who are registered with their local government (city, county, or state) to provide communications during declared emergencies. Only activated during official declarations. In many SoCal counties, ARES and RACES members are the same people operating under different authorities depending on the situation.
- Any license class can join ARES. Technician, General, and Extra are all welcome. You don't need HF privileges to be a valuable EmComm operator in your county.
- Find your county EC. Use the ARRL's ARES section directory to find your county Emergency Coordinator. They're the point of contact for joining your local group.
- Complete ICS training. Most SoCal ARES groups require ICS-100 and ICS-700 (free online through FEMA at training.fema.gov). Some also require ICS-200 and IS-800.
- Check into the weekly ARES net. Each county has a weekly net — find yours in the Net Directory and start checking in. This is how you get to know the team.
- Get RACES registered. Once you're active with ARES, your county EC can help you register with RACES through your county Office of Emergency Services.
- Have your go-kit ready. A portable station with at least 12 hours of battery backup is the minimum. HT + spare battery, your ARES/RACES ID, and a copy of the county frequency plan.
| County | Organization | Primary Net | Resource | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | LA DCS / ARES LAX Division | 145.300 − DCS · Mon 7 PM | arrllax.org | |
| Orange County | OC ARES / ACS | 146.895 − PL 136.5 · Mon 7 PM | ocares.org | |
| San Diego | San Diego Section ARES | 147.060 + PL 107.2 · Weekly | arrl.org/ares | |
| Riverside | Riverside County ARA / ARES | 146.880 − PL 146.2 · Mon 7 PM | arrl.org/ares | |
| San Bernardino | San Bernardino County RACES | 146.385 + PL 146.2 · Monthly | arrl.org/ares | |
| Ventura | Ventura County ACS/ARES | 145.200 − PL 127.3 · Weekly | vccomm.org | |
| Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara Section ARES | 3.867 LSB · HF Net | arrl.org/ares | |
| PAPA Outdoor Net | 8:00 AM | Social | PAPA System (all analog) | Recreational/outdoor adventure topic net. Hiking, camping, portable ops. |
| PARS Breakfast Net | 8:00 AM | Social | 145.180 − PL 107.2 (Mt. Woodson) | Poway ARS breakfast net. May not run when in-person breakfast is held. |
| SD Ham Help Net | 9:00 PM | Social | 146.730 − PL 107.2 (Palomar) | Elmer-style Q&A net — great for new hams seeking advice. |
| MARA EmComm Net | 8:45 PM | EmComm | 147.075 + PL 107.2 (Palomar) | Mesa ARA Emergency Services Net — San Diego area EmComm. |
Live Emergency Status
Current conditions for Southern California — earthquakes, active wildfires, and air quality. Data refreshes automatically. Last updated timestamp shown in each panel.
Data is provided for situational awareness only. Always follow official emergency management guidance from your county OES. During active incidents, monitor your local ARES/RACES net and confirm frequencies with your county EC.
SoCal Weather & Alerts
Current conditions and active NWS watches, warnings, and advisories for Southern California. Red Flag warnings, flood watches, and severe weather alerts appear here as issued.
Weather data sourced from the National Weather Service (weather.gov) and Open-Meteo. Always monitor official NWS alerts and your local ARES/RACES net during active weather events.
CHIRP Radio Programming
CHIRP is the go-to free programming software for ham radio. It supports hundreds of radios, runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and makes it easy to load up your SoCal frequencies in minutes — no manual button-mashing required.
Download CHIRP
Always download from the official site. The current stable release supports the widest range of radios. The daily build adds newer radios but may have occasional bugs.
🔌 USB Programming Cable Drivers
Most cheap programming cables use one of three USB-to-serial chips. If Windows or Mac doesn't recognize your cable, install the matching driver below. Linux typically works out of the box.
Found on the majority of budget cables from Amazon and eBay — Baofeng, Kenwood-style, and most generic cables. The chip is usually labeled on the PCB inside the cable plug.
Silicon Labs CP210x chips are found in higher-quality cables — often the ones sold directly by radio manufacturers or reputable ham radio dealers.
Prolific PL2303 chips appear in older cables, especially those bought years ago. Note: Prolific has issued driver updates that block counterfeit chips — if your cable stops working after a Windows update, this is likely why.
⚠️ If a newer Prolific driver breaks your cable, it may be a counterfeit chip. Try rolling back to an older driver version or replace the cable.
FTDI chips are found in premium cables. Very reliable and well-supported across all platforms. macOS and Linux usually detect these automatically without any driver install.
ioreg -p IOUSB -l -w 0 | grep -i "usb". You can also unscrew the cable's USB plug — the chip is usually printed on the tiny PCB inside.
🚀 Getting Started with CHIRP
Install the USB driver for your cable first, then install CHIRP. Restart your computer after the driver install if prompted.
Plug the cable into your radio and USB port. Turn the radio on. In CHIRP, go to Radio → Download From Radio and select your radio's make, model, and COM port (Windows) or /dev/tty port (Mac/Linux).
Always download the existing channels from the radio before making changes — this gives you a backup and prevents wiping settings. Save the file as a .img backup.
Add, edit, or delete channels in the spreadsheet-style editor. Key fields: Frequency, Name (up to 6–8 chars depending on radio), Tone Mode (Tone for CTCSS TX, TSQL for RX squelch), and Tone (the CTCSS frequency, e.g. 100.0 Hz).
Go to Radio → Upload To Radio. Keep the radio still and connected until complete. Don't unplug or key up the radio during transfer.
💡 Tips & Common Gotchas
Most SoCal repeaters use CTCSS (analog tone). Set Tone Mode to Tone and enter the correct Hz value. DCS (digital) is less common but used on some systems — check the repeater directory listings on this site.
2m repeaters are typically −600 kHz offset. 70cm repeaters are typically −5 MHz. 220 MHz is −1.6 MHz. CHIRP usually sets this automatically when you enter the output frequency.
You can import channels from a CSV file — handy for bulk-loading frequencies. Go to File → Import. The CHIRP wiki has the correct column format. This site's repeater data is organized to make manual entry straightforward.
After a successful download from radio, immediately save the .img file somewhere safe. This is your radio's complete backup — if anything goes wrong during programming, you can restore it in seconds.
Try a different USB port (preferably direct to the computer, not a hub). Make sure the radio is on. On Mac, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → allow the driver extension if it was blocked. On Windows, check Device Manager for yellow warning icons.
If your radio model isn't in the stable release, try the CHIRP Daily Build — it adds support for newer radios much faster. Daily builds are generally safe but may occasionally have quirks. Always back up first.
CHIRP is free, open-source software maintained by the community. Driver links go directly to manufacturer sites. Always verify downloads are from official sources. KE6MGB has no affiliation with CHIRP or any cable vendor.
SoCal APRS Live Map
Real-time APRS packet traffic centered on the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Mountains — the backbone of SoCal's APRS infrastructure. Shows mobile stations, weather stations, digipeaters, and iGates as packets are heard.
aprs.fi's live map opens in a new tab — you'll see real-time packet traffic, mobile stations, weather stations, digipeaters, and iGates across the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Mountains.
📡 Find SoCal APRS Infrastructure
Use aprs.fi directly to see active digipeaters and iGates in your area — it shows real-time status, last-heard times, and coverage statistics for every station.
Live map filtered to digipeaters only, centered on the IE. See what's active right now, coverage areas, and path info.
View on aprs.fi →Live map of iGates feeding RF traffic into APRS-IS. Shows last-heard, range, and packet statistics for each gateway.
View on aprs.fi →Active APRS weather stations transmitting real-time temp, wind, and pressure data across SoCal.
View on aprs.fi →📋 APRS Quick Reference
The North American APRS standard frequency is 144.390 MHz FM — this is what virtually all SoCal digipeaters and iGates monitor. Some areas also run 144.340 MHz as a secondary channel.
For most SoCal mobile operation use WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1. This gives you one hop through a fill-in digi and one wide hop. Avoid WIDE2-2 or longer paths — they create unnecessary congestion on the channel.
Mobile: SmartBeaconing or ~1–2 min intervals in motion, slow to 10–30 min when parked. Fixed stations: 10–30 minutes. Avoid the temptation to beacon too fast — 144.390 is a shared channel.
APRS weather stations transmit on 144.390 MHz like any other station. Data is pulled into Weather Underground (CWOP) and aprs.fi automatically. Popular software: Peet Bros, Davis, Weather Display, WXSim.
A digipeater re-transmits packets over RF, extending range without internet. An iGate receives RF packets and forwards them to the APRS-IS internet backbone. Many stations do both. Both are critical for emergency comms.
APRS is used by ARES/RACES for real-time resource tracking during disasters. If you're activated, your position and messages appear on aprs.fi and tactical displays in real time — no phone or internet required from the field.
Live map data provided by aprs.fi — a free service by OH7LZB. Infrastructure callsigns are listed in good faith from public APRS-IS data; positions and status may change. APRS is an amateur radio service — only licensed operators may transmit.
Download Your FCC Ham Radio License
Your FCC amateur radio license is a public record — you can download an official PDF directly from the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) any time. Here's exactly how to do it.
🖥️ Method 1 — FCC ULS License Manager (Recommended)
Open wireless.fcc.gov/uls in your browser. This is the official FCC Universal Licensing System — no third-party sites needed.
Under the Search menu on the left, click License Search. You don't need to log in to search for your license.
In the Callsign field, type your callsign (e.g. KE6MGB) and click Search. Your license record will appear in the results.
Click the callsign in the results to open your license detail page. You'll see your name, license class, grant date, and expiration date.
At the top of the license detail page, click the Print License button. This opens an official print-ready PDF of your license. Save it, print it, and keep a copy on your phone.
Direct License Lookup
Skip the navigation — go straight to the FCC license search and type your callsign. Works on desktop and mobile.
📱 Method 2 — Via QRZ.com
Visit qrz.com and type your callsign in the search box.
Your QRZ page shows your FCC license data pulled from ULS in real time. At the bottom of your license info, there's a link directly to your FCC license record.
Click through to the FCC record and use Print License as in Method 1. QRZ itself does not issue official license PDFs — always print from the FCC directly.
💡 Tips
The FCC explicitly allows showing your license on a mobile device when operating. A screenshot of your license PDF on your phone is acceptable. Just make sure it's legible and shows your full name, callsign, class, and expiration.
Print your license at roughly 50% scale and laminate it for a wallet card. Many hams keep the full sheet in their shack logbook and the wallet card on them when operating portable or mobile.
Ham licenses are valid for 10 years. You can renew starting 90 days before expiration — also through the FCC ULS. If your license expires, you have a 2-year grace period to renew without retesting.
After passing your exam, your license typically appears in the FCC ULS within 1–2 business days. You cannot legally transmit until your callsign appears in the ULS database — not just when you receive your CSCE.
After upgrading (e.g. Technician → General), your new privileges are active as soon as the upgrade appears in ULS. Download a new copy of your license — it will show your updated class.
The FCC stopped mailing paper licenses in 2015. The ULS PDF is your official license. There is no other document — if someone asks to see your license, the ULS printout is what you show.
License data is maintained by the FCC. Always verify your license status directly at wireless.fcc.gov/uls. KE6MGB has no affiliation with the FCC.
US Amateur Radio Band Plan
Official USA amateur radio frequency allocations from HF through SHF. Privileges shown by license class — Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. All frequencies in MHz unless noted.
📡 HF Bands (160m – 10m)
| Band | Frequency Range | Privileges | Primary Modes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160m | 1.800 – 2.000 MHz | ExtraGeneral | CW, Phone, Data | Shared with other services. Low-noise antennas help. Good for NVIS. |
| 80m | 3.500 – 4.000 MHz | ExtraGeneralTech (CW only) | CW, Phone, Data | Extra: 3.500–4.000 · General: 3.525–4.000 (CW), 3.800–4.000 (Phone) |
| 60m | 5 channels (USB) | General+ | USB Phone, CW, Data | 5 specific channels: 5.332, 5.348, 5.3585, 5.373, 5.405 MHz. Max 100W ERP. |
| 40m | 7.000 – 7.300 MHz | ExtraGeneralTech (CW only) | CW, Phone, Data | Extra: 7.000–7.300 · General: 7.025–7.300 (CW), 7.175–7.300 (Phone) |
| 30m | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz | General+ | CW, Data | No phone. Shared with fixed services. Max 200W PEP. Popular for WSPR/FT8. |
| 20m | 14.000 – 14.350 MHz | ExtraGeneral | CW, Phone, Data | The most popular DX band. Extra: 14.000–14.350 · General: 14.025–14.350 (CW), 14.225–14.350 (Phone) |
| 17m | 18.068 – 18.168 MHz | General+ | CW, Phone, Data | WARC band — no contests. Excellent propagation. General: 18.068–18.168. |
| 15m | 21.000 – 21.450 MHz | ExtraGeneralTech (CW only) | CW, Phone, Data | Extra: 21.000–21.450 · General: 21.025–21.450 (CW), 21.275–21.450 (Phone) |
| 12m | 24.890 – 24.990 MHz | General+ | CW, Phone, Data | WARC band — no contests. Opens well during solar maximum. |
| 10m | 28.000 – 29.700 MHz | ExtraGeneralTech (28.000–28.500) | CW, Phone, Data, FM | Technicians have full phone privileges 28.300–28.500. FM segment: 29.500–29.700 MHz. |
📡 VHF Bands
| Band | Frequency Range | Privileges | Key Frequencies | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6m | 50.000 – 54.000 MHz | All Classes | 52.525 FM Calling · 50.125 SSB Calling | Magic Band. Technicians have full privileges. Sporadic-E propagation in summer. |
| 2m | 144.000 – 148.000 MHz | All Classes | 146.520 FM Calling · 144.200 SSB Calling · 144.390 APRS | Most popular VHF band. Repeaters typically –600 kHz offset. Technicians have full privileges. |
| 1.25m | 219.000 – 225.000 MHz | All Classes | 223.500 FM Calling | Less commonly used. Repeaters –1.6 MHz offset. Some older radios don't cover this band. |
📡 UHF Bands
| Band | Frequency Range | Privileges | Key Frequencies | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70cm | 420.000 – 450.000 MHz | All Classes | 446.000 FM Calling · 432.100 SSB Calling · 144.390 APRS (linked) | Second most popular band. Repeaters typically –5 MHz offset. Shared with government radiolocation. |
| 33cm | 902.000 – 928.000 MHz | All Classes | 906.500 FM Calling | Shared with ISM devices (spread spectrum). Good for local links and ATV. |
| 23cm | 1240.000 – 1300.000 MHz | All Classes | 1294.500 FM Calling | Shared with other services. Popular for weak signal, ATV, and EME experimentation. |
📡 SHF & EHF Bands
| Band | Frequency Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 13cm | 2300 – 2310 MHz · 2390 – 2450 MHz | All classes. Shared with ISM. Popular for ham ATV and microwave experimentation. |
| 9cm | 3300 – 3500 MHz | All classes. Shared with government radiolocation. Narrow allocation. |
| 5cm | 5650 – 5925 MHz | All classes. Segments shared with government and ISM. Active weak-signal community. |
| 3cm | 9000 – 9500 MHz (segment) | All classes. Limited amateur allocation within this range. |
| 1.2cm | 24.000 – 24.050 GHz · 24.050 – 24.250 GHz | All classes. Active EME and microwave contest band. |
| 6mm+ | 47 GHz · 76 GHz · 122 GHz · 241 GHz | All classes. Experimental microwave allocations. Specialized equipment required. |
📞 Key Calling Frequencies — Quick Reference
3.985 — 80m SSB calling
7.200 — 40m SSB calling
14.225 — 20m SSB calling
21.300 — 15m SSB calling
28.400 — 10m SSB calling
3.500 — 80m CW calling
7.000 — 40m CW calling
14.000 — 20m CW calling
21.000 — 15m CW calling
28.000 — 10m CW calling
52.525 — 6m FM calling
146.520 — 2m FM calling ★
223.500 — 1.25m FM calling
446.000 — 70cm FM calling ★
906.500 — 33cm FM calling
50.125 — 6m SSB calling
144.200 — 2m SSB calling
222.100 — 1.25m SSB calling
432.100 — 70cm SSB calling
1296.100 — 23cm SSB calling
144.390 — 2m APRS (NA)
14.070 — 20m PSK31
14.074 — 20m FT8 ★
7.074 — 40m FT8
3.573 — 80m FT8
146.520 — 2m national simplex
156.800 — Marine Ch. 16 (monitor)
14.300 — 20m Maritime Mobile Net
7.290 — 40m emergency
3.985 — 80m emergency
Band plan data sourced from ARRL and FCC Part 97. Frequency allocations are subject to change — always verify with the ARRL Band Plan for the most current information. Technician privileges on HF are limited — see ARRL for full privilege details by class.
Online SDR Receivers
Software-defined radio receivers you can operate live, right in your browser — no downloads, no hardware, no license required to listen. Click any receiver below to open it in a new tab and start tuning.
📍 California Receivers
Verified public SDR receivers in or near Southern California. These are real, community-operated stations — uptime depends on the volunteer operators who run them.
HF receiver in the Los Angeles metro area. Covers multiple HF bands. One of the closest publicly accessible WebSDR stations to the Inland Empire. Good for monitoring SoCal HF activity.
Historic site — the former KFS ship-to-shore commercial station. Now a community-operated WebSDR with excellent low-noise HF reception thanks to its coastal location. Multiple antenna systems covering multiple bands.
🌐 Recommended Public Receivers
Well-maintained, high-quality public receivers around the US and world. Useful when local receivers are busy or offline, or for comparing propagation from different locations.
The original web-based SDR project by PA3FWM. The websdr.org homepage lists dozens of public receivers worldwide. The University of Twente receiver is one of the most famous — wide HF coverage, always busy, always on.
KiwiSDR is purpose-built hardware for shared HF reception. The map at sdr.hu (the KiwiSDR network) lists hundreds of public receivers worldwide. Most cover 0–30 MHz continuously. Excellent for propagation monitoring and DX listening.
The most comprehensive global SDR directory, aggregating WebSDR, KiwiSDR, and OpenWebRX receivers in one searchable map. Filter by band, location, or software type. Updated in real time.
OpenWebRX is open-source server software that lets operators share their RTL-SDR, Airspy, or SDRplay receivers over the internet. It supports FT8, WSPR, CW, DMR, SSTV, PSK31, and more — with built-in decoders. No client software needed.
🎧 How to Use a Web SDR
It opens in a new tab. You'll see a waterfall display — a scrolling color map of radio spectrum activity. Bright colors mean strong signals. The horizontal axis is frequency, the vertical axis is time (newest at top).
Click anywhere on the waterfall or type a frequency into the tuning box. The receiver will tune there and you'll hear audio through your browser. Make sure your browser volume and system audio are up.
Common modes: USB for HF ham voice (most above 10 MHz), LSB for HF ham voice below 10 MHz, AM for broadcast and aviation, FM for VHF/UHF, CW for Morse code. Wrong mode = garbled or no audio.
On KiwiSDR, check how many clients are connected (shown in the lower corner). If others are listening, don't change the band — you'll interrupt their reception. WebSDR and OpenWebRX typically let each user tune independently.
💡 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Web SDRs
Before calling CQ, tune a web SDR to your target frequency and listen. If you can hear stations from your target area, propagation is likely open. If the band sounds dead from a distant receiver, it probably is.
Most web SDRs require your browser to allow audio. Check for a blocked audio icon in your browser's address bar. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all work well. Safari can be finicky — try Chrome if audio won't play.
If a nearby web SDR covers your band, you can tune it to your frequency while you transmit and hear your own signal — a useful way to check audio quality, ALC, and whether you're actually getting out.
For long-distance HF, try 20m and 15m during the day, 40m and 80m after sunset. 10m is spectacular during solar maximum (we're near one now). Web SDRs let you monitor any band without tying up your own radio.
Listening to amateur radio is completely legal with no license required. You only need a license to transmit. Web SDRs are a great learning tool for new hams studying for their exam.
An RTL-SDR dongle costs ~$25–35 and a Raspberry Pi can host OpenWebRX or a WebSDR server. You can share your receiver publicly or keep it private for personal remote access. The SoCal ham community always needs more local receivers.
💻 SDR Software for Your Own Radio
The most popular RTL-SDR frontend. Free, easy to use, huge plugin ecosystem. Great starting point for beginners.
Open-source, cross-platform SDR application. Clean interface, works with most SDR hardware including RTL-SDR.
Excellent open-source receiver based on GNU Radio. The go-to for Linux users and Mac users who want a clean SDR app.
The best resource for SDR beginners. Tutorials, hardware reviews, project ideas, and the latest SDR news. Bookmark this.
Web SDR receivers are operated by volunteers. Uptime is not guaranteed. All links go directly to the operator's own servers — KE6MGB has no affiliation with any of these stations. Listening to amateur radio transmissions requires no license; transmitting does.
Tornado & Hurricane Alerts
Live National Weather Service warnings and watches for tornadoes and tropical cyclones across the entire United States. Data pulled directly from NWS — no delays, no third parties.
📋 Severe Weather Quick Reference for Ham Operators
Warning — a tornado has been spotted or indicated by radar. Take shelter immediately. Watch — conditions are favorable for tornado development. Stay alert and be ready to act. Warnings are issued by local NWS offices; watches by the Storm Prediction Center.
A Tornado Emergency is the highest-tier alert — reserved for confirmed, catastrophic tornadoes threatening densely populated areas. Issued rarely. If you see one on this page, it is an extreme life-threatening event.
Warning — hurricane conditions (sustained winds ≥74 mph) expected within 36 hours. Watch — possible within 48 hours. Tropical Storm Warning — TS conditions (39–73 mph winds) expected within 36 hours.
During tornado events, SKYWARN-trained storm spotters report ground truth to NWS offices via ham radio. ARES/RACES operators assist with emergency communications when infrastructure fails. If you're SKYWARN-trained, activate on your local SKYWARN net frequency during severe weather.
Monitor 162.400–162.550 MHz (NOAA Weather Radio) for continuous official alerts. During activations, SKYWARN nets typically operate on local 2m or 70cm repeaters — check with your local ARES group for the designated frequency.
Tornadoes: NOAA Storm Prediction Center · Hurricanes: National Hurricane Center · All alerts: weather.gov/alerts
Alert data sourced directly from the National Weather Service API (api.weather.gov). Refreshes every 5 minutes. During rapidly evolving severe weather, always monitor official NWS sources and your local emergency broadcast system. This page is for situational awareness only.