RATS Field Day radio kit auction #2 is Live Now!

Welcome to RATS

Meeting Information

Apply for Membership

Donate

Candidates Sought for Board Election

442.55 Repeater WIRES-X Update

New DMR File Generator Makes Programming Easy

RATS Resources for New and Existing Hams

Thank You, RATS Members!

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 Jim Rubin W4PKR 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.

Candidates Sought for Board Election

About half of the RATS Board of Directors comes up for election each year, with positions serving staggered 2-year terms beginning in mid September. This year, the following positions are up for election:

► President: Currently Jeff Walton KN4SYE
► Vice President: Currently Judi LeHuquet N4JDI
► Directors: Three positions, held by Michael "Chevy" Chevalier KK4OWU, Rob Marshall KI4MCW, and Wayne Scarberry K9WVU

If you have the qualifications and interest in helping to run our club for the next couple of years or if you know someone who does, send your nominations to election@rats.net. Nominations are due by the end of June. Ballots will be sent electronically to all Full members in good standing during the month of July. There are no term limits at RATS. Existing officers and directors can run again (and again, and again!)

RATS is more than just a ham radio club. We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission and obligation to serve and benefit our community. We need dedicated, active volunteers in our club leadership who are willing to take on new projects, participate in or lead special work groups, support our committees, and help make RATS stronger for all of our members.

Serving on the Board is not just about attending meetings or holding a title. It is about helping guide the direction of the club, listening to members, solving problems, supporting our repeaters and programs, encouraging new ideas, and making sure RATS continues to be a welcoming, useful, and active organization for hams of all experience levels.

We especially encourage nominations from members who are willing to be hands-on, communicate well, follow through on commitments, and work cooperatively with others. Whether your interests are technical projects, public service, education, member activities, digital modes, repeaters, youth outreach, emergency communications, events, fundraising, or simply helping the club stay organized and moving forward, there is important work to be done.

If you care about the future of RATS, please consider stepping up or encouraging another qualified member to do so. A strong club depends on members who are willing to contribute their time, ideas, and energy.

On a related note...

In accordance with our Bylaws, the Board has appointed Will Jackson KR4CE to fill a Secretary vacancy effective May 6 and continuing through the end of the current term, September 17, 2027.

442.55 Repeater WIRES-X Update

The WIRES-X service on our 442.55 MHz dual-mode FM+C4FM repeater now idles on the NC VA Fusion Network. This system links 15 C4FM and DMR repeaters primarily in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina. The NC VA Fusion Network has more participating repeaters and offers more ways to connect into the system from outside the area.

All linked repeaters are reachable from anywhere through WIRES-X Room 68425, YSF Reflector 80822, Brandmeister DMR talkgroup 311095, P25 reflector 822, or NXDN reflector 822. TG 311095 has been added to our DMR File Generator's Brandmeister zones.

A weekly net is held every Saturday evening at 7:30 PM.

New DMR File Generator Makes Programming Easy

We now offer an exclusive DMR File Generator that makes customized CSV or Excel files for import directly into your CPS. No more messy N0GSG Conversions! Supports over 100 models and several popular third-party applications including EditCP, CPEditor, OpenGD77, and Motorola CPS 2.0. You'll get an importable contact list and channel file, and if your radio has importable zones, we'll give you those, too. We also provide step-by-step instructions customized to your CPS that walk you through getting our files into your software and (if necessary) building the zones.

RATS has you covered all up and down the east coast! We have zones from Fort Kent, Maine to Miami, Florida including 16 C-Bridge DMR networks and selected Brandmeister systems. Here's a map. Club members have full access to our entire channel library, and anyone can use guest access to program a radio for the DMRVA and HEARS networks in Virginia and North Carolina. Headed out on vacation? Pull down the latest updates before you go!

Currently offering 6,776 channels in 458 zones with additional systems added weekly.

Helpful tip: When making a general call on any DMR network, be sure to say which talkgroup you're using so others know where to respond. Many DMR users monitor multiple talkgroups simultaneously with receive groups or scan lists, and if they're not looking at the radio when you call out they probably won't know which one your call was on. "AB1CDE listening on Richmond Metro" is more likely to get a response than just "AB1CDE monitoring."

RATS Resources for New and Existing Hams

Questions, need help or answers about anything radio? We have 20 Elmers ready to help.

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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