Conference Activities & Events

Thursday Evening Event

After a long day of travel, join us for a dinner cruise on the La Crosse Queen paddleboat.  Departure is at 6pm from the dock just 2 blocks north of the hotel. If you need to drive, we'll have parking instructions at the registration table.  A delicious dinner will be served onboard during the cruise.  Make sure to see La Crosse and the Mississippi River Valley from the deck of the paddleboat.  Cost is $55 and includes catered dinner. A cash bar will be available.

Antenna Range

Bring your antennas for testing and characterization !  Once again the VHF/UHF/Microwave antenna ranges will be operating on Friday morning (weather permitting).  Compare your antennas to the CSVHFS standards.  Even if you don't bring an antenna for testing, come on out to the range and learn how they are run and what they teach us about antennas. 

Noise Figure Measurement Lab

Bring your Low Noise pre-amps for testing and characterization!  We'll have equipment and volunteers to test your pre-amps and transverters (for system NF). Get building!  This activity will run Friday morning from 8am to 11am.

VHF/UHF/Microwave Vendor Room

VHF/UHF/Microwave vendors will be present to sell pieces, parts, and more. 

Poster/Tabletop Presentations

Have content to share with the attendees but not able to work it into a paper or a presentation?  Consider a "Poster Session" or a table-top display.  See "Guidance Documents," "For Posterboard and Table Top Display Authors"  for more information.  Your posters will be on display Friday and Saturday.

Rover Row

Bring your Rover vehicle and offer "shack visits"!  We'll have a specific place for you to park on Friday morning.  Conference attendees can work their way down the row to check out the many rovers, visit with their owners, etc.  This activity occurs on Friday morning. 

Dish Bowl

Bring your portable Microwave Dish system for show-and-tell!  Owners will have the opportunity to provide show-and-tell to Conference attendees.  Learn how they've solved problems and integrated their systems.  Operate your first 10 GHz and 24 GHz contacts with gear available for trying.  The Dish Bowl will occur on Friday morning and will be located adjacent to Rover Row.

Technical Presentations (Friday Afternoon and Saturday)

Technical Presentations from all over the VHF/UHF weak-signal spectrum: equipment, circuit design, antennas, propagation, and operational procedures.  As speakers and their topics are locked in, they will appear in our Schedule of Events.  If you are interested in presenting, please see "Guidance Documents," "For Proceedings Authors"  or "For Conference Presenters" for more information.

Friday Night VHF/UHF/Microwave Swapfest

Bring your excess equipment for trading on Friday Night. You have items of unique interest to VHF/UHF/Microwave operators and they have interest in what you have. Work out a trade!  

Hospitality Room

The Hospitality Suite will allow for conversations and networking to continue into the late hours without worrying about disturbing the neighbors.  A favorite for many attendees!  In operation Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

VHF101 (Saturday Morning)

An alternate track of presentations:  oriented to new-comers to the VHF world.  Provides a first look at weak-signal VHF operations.  Buiild your own 432 MHz yagi antenna as an introduction to antennas for VHF weak-signal operating.

Microwave 101 (Saturday Afternoon)

An alternate track of presentations:  If you’re looking for new operating challenges beyond the VHF and UHF bands, why not consider the super-high frequency (SHF) bands, also known as the microwaves?  A 1.5 hour presentation about getting started and having fun operating on the microwave bands. Topics that will be discussed include: the equipment needed to operate at microwave frequencies, the skills necessary to effectively operate a microwave station, microwave propagation, and operating activities available on the microwave bands. Following the presentation, the class will explore all of the concepts discussed using a 10 GHz dish rig.

Saturday Night Banquet

Bring your entire family and come and join us for an evening of socializing and dining that features award presentations, a banquet speaker, and our prize table giveaways

ARRL

Our conference is an ARRL sanctioned event.  Section, Division, and National ARRL representatives will be present.

QSL Card Checking

Get your Awards cards for DXCC, VUCC, WAS, and WAC verified with out the need to send them to Headquarters