The fictional Martians may not have have their antennas tuned but members of the Delaware Valley Radio Association did as 16 operators called CQ for several hours in a public park in Grover's Mill, New Jersey, the site where the original broadcast radio drama played out in 1938. This was the club's fourth year hosting the event as station WØW [W ZERO W], and it was timed to coincide with the original late October airing.

There is a monument in the park honoring that broadcast, which put Grover's Mill on the map - but the hams' activation in the park may have left a lasting impression too:

Unlike the invading Martians, the visitors here came in peace. Cyclists participating in the township's "Martian Bike Ride" and other members of the public stopped by to get a close-up look at what amateur radio is all about. One young person even got on the air and logged one of the 159 QSOs that were made, according to Martin Crabtree W3PR.

Anyone saying "take me to your leader" would have been introduced, of course, to club president Martin - that's Martin, not Martian - who was outfitted appropriately in foil-covered fedora. Other hams wore antennae - but in this case, none of them were tuned for any transmissions except, perhaps, those from Mars.