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Dues are due! Memberships will lapse if not renewed by September 30. Renew online today.
Founded in 1972, the Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society is an ARRL Affiliated general-interest ham radio club serving the Richmond Metro area. We operate the W4RAT 442.55 and 443.5875 MHz repeaters. Our club meets via Zoom on the third Friday of each month. Meetings are open to everyone -- you do not need to be a member of the club (or even a licensed ham) to join our meetings. Most of our activities are also open to the public. Our members participate in Field Day, the Virginia QSO Party, and a number of other activities in the area. We invite you to join us.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on furthering the art and science of amateur radio by encouraging those interested in electronics and communications to further their knowledge in those fields, promoting the utilization of the higher frequency bands allotted to amateur radio, and offering the use of our communications systems during emergencies and for disaster response. Learn more about RATS.
Need a license? See our Get Licensed page. Our friends at the Catastrophic Amateur Tactical Squad (CATS) offer monthly VE testing in Powhatan County.
Organizing a charity bike ride, marathon, or other special event? Ham radio can help. Contact the Public Service Committee for more information.
Special Offer for New Hams: Qualifying new members can join RATS for FREE. Open to amateurs of any license class who submit a membership application within 180 days of their initial FCC Technician license grant. Renews in October 2026 at the regular rate (currently $35/year). Online application, electronic billing, and enrollment in automatic dues renewal are required. Click here and select the New Ham Rate. Contact info@rats.net for additional information.
Changes are Coming Soon to the Meshtastic Network
Changes are Coming Soon to the Meshtastic Network
For our members who participate in the public Meshtastic network: Recent concerns about the legality of the default operating mode (Long Fast) have prompted some important changes you need to know about.
Beginning with firmware version 2.8, the default "fresh out of the box" LoRa mode and channel for US users will be Long Turbo on slot 14 instead of the previous standard, Long Fast on slot 20.
Many community meshes have announced transition plans or are already moving to Long Turbo on slot 14. Others are staying (for now) on Long Fast slot 20.
You will need to decide on an operating mode and configure your equipment for whichever portion of the mesh you wish to access -- Long Fast or Long Turbo.
A poll of local node owners recently conducted on the RVA Mesh Discord showed 71% of respondents plan to switch their nodes to Long Turbo slot 14 when the v2.8 firmware reaches a "stable beta" release phase, and the other 29% have already made the switch. Nodes on either portion of the network will experience reduced mesh density and coverage while the transition happens. We don't know when the v2.8 beta will drop but it's plausible to expect it within the next few months.
Similar changes will impact Meshcore users, as well.
If you're not yet on the mesh or need help getting started, we have a website dedicated to two popular systems: Meshtastic and AREDN. Check out mesh.rats.net. The RVA Mesh website is another good resource.
Winter Field Day Meeting This Monday at 7:30 PM (ET)
Winter Field Day Meeting This Monday at 7:30 PM (ET)
We're ready for more Field Day! RATS is ready to start planning Winter Field Day. The most important part is you! The Activites Committee is meeting this Monday (September 21st) via Zoom to start this important process. We want membership involvement. Bring your ideas, thoughts, concerns. All brainstorming is welcome in our Activities Committees meetings. See you there!
RATS zoom link: https://go.rats.net/zoom
2026 November Marathon Volunteers Needed
2026 November Marathon Volunteers Needed
Volunteer Registration is now open for the 2026 Allianz Richmond Marathon, coming up on November 14. Our Public Service Team is looking for volunteers to provide communications from various points along the route. You do not need to be experienced operating at events to participate. We will pair you up with someone that is. Operating at events is fun, it gives us skills useful for operating in emergency communications and it shows our local community what we are capable of as radio amateurs.
Volunteer for 2026 Richmond Marathon
To sign up for future RATS Public Service event email updates click here.
RATS Resources for New and Existing Hams
RATS Resources for New and Existing Hams
Questions, need help or answers about anything radio? We have 20 Elmers ready to help.
Contact us at helpdesk@rats.net
Richmond Amateur Radio Club (RARC) Fall Class Schedule
Richmond Amateur Radio Club (RARC) Fall Class Schedule
The RARC proudly offers an assortment of both radio license and other special interest classes each semester. Their Fall 2026 Radio School schedule is now available here:
There's a class for everyone, and you may even be able to volunteer to help!
Contact Bruce MacAlister W4BRU, RARC Radio School Head, for more information: school@rarclub.net
Thank You, RATS Members!
Thank You, RATS Members!
It's a new era for RATS, and we couldn't have done it without the support of our members. Our club is growing, we're doing new things, and participation is at one of the highest levels we've seen in many years. Membership is up compared to the same time last year, and over 28% of RATS members are now involved in one of our committees, work groups, special projects, or on the Board of Directors! The members of our Elmer team and DMR Codeplug project have helped countless hams in the area with elmering and technical advice. Our Public Service Committee now organizes ham support for some of the largest events in our area. We've overhauled our meetings to focus more on the fun stuff our members want to see and less club business talk. And now, we've got a dedicated group organizing fun club activities and educational opportunities, with our new Activities Committee. We're thankful for the time, dedication, and financial support of our members and others in the community. Because of you, the future is bright at RATS. Thank you!
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