Few things are more powerful than the combined presence of two fellowships. Next week, many in the worldwide amateur radio community are going to church. They are calling CQ on the second Saturday of September, just as they first did in 2013. The popular event, Churches and Chapels on the Air, has its roots with the Huddersfield South Methodist Radio Club, G3LQK. It was there that the Rev. Arthur W. Shepherd, G3NGF, created an organisation that later came to be known as the World Association of Christian Amateurs and Listeners, an ecumenical group with the callsign M1CRA.
So many years later, the tradition continues. Outside the same venue in communities where congregants often bring their faith and their prayers, hams will be setting up portable stations on the 12th of September, from 10 am to 4 pm local time.
Event organisers are encouraging amateurs radio operators to talk to their vicars, ministers and church elders and request permission to activate there for the day. In some years, churches have even permitted antennas to be installed temporarily on their towers. Stations are encouraged to register for the one-day event. An email address for registration - and the event website - can be found in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org
