Spin the Wheel

Amateur Radio Community Events December 2025

The amateur radio community has been actively engaged throughout December 2025, with a full calendar of events bringing together enthusiasts, operators, and hobbyists who share a passion for radio communication, emergency preparedness, and technical experimentation. These gatherings represent the vibrant, diverse nature of the amateur radio community and its commitment to education, public service, and the preservation of radio knowledge and skills. The events scheduled for December 2025 showcase how amateur radio continues to thrive as both a technical hobby and a vital service to communities. One of the most anticipated events was the IARC Christmas Party on December 18, hosted by the Irving Amateur Radio Club at Spring Creek BBQ in Irving, Texas. This annual gathering combines the club's regular activities with holiday celebration, featuring food, fun, and a gift raffle with both radio-related and non-radio items. Events like this highlight the social aspect of amateur radio, which is often overlooked in discussions of the hobby. While amateur radio is fundamentally about communication and technology, it's also about community, friendship, and shared interests that extend beyond the technical aspects of the hobby. The IARC Christmas Party represents a tradition that many amateur radio clubs maintain: regular social gatherings that bring members together outside of formal meetings or technical activities. These events are crucial for building and maintaining the community bonds that keep clubs active and engaged. The inclusion of both radio-related and general items in the raffle shows how amateur radio enthusiasts have diverse interests and how clubs serve as social hubs as much as technical organizations. On December 11, the XRX Amateur Radio Club held its December General Meeting at the Webster Rec Center in Webster, New York. The meeting's agenda included elections, a treasury report, repeater news, events planning, and a show-and-tell session. This structure is typical of amateur radio club meetings and demonstrates the organizational aspects of the hobby. Amateur radio clubs are democratic organizations that require active participation from members to function effectively, and meetings like this provide opportunities for members to contribute to the club's direction and activities. The show-and-tell portion of the XRX meeting is particularly important, as it allows members to share projects, equipment, and knowledge with each other. This knowledge-sharing aspect is central to amateur radio culture, where experienced operators mentor newcomers and where technical innovation is often driven by individual experimentation and community collaboration. The show-and-tell format creates a low-pressure environment for sharing accomplishments and learning from others. The Charleston Amateur Radio Society hosted its monthly meeting and Christmas Party on December 8, combining regular club business with holiday festivities. This dual-purpose approach is common in December, as clubs seek to maintain their regular activities while also celebrating the season. The combination of formal meeting structure with social celebration reflects how amateur radio clubs balance their technical and educational missions with community building and member engagement. These December events occur against a backdrop of ongoing discussions within the amateur radio community about its future and relevance. Some observers have questioned whether amateur radio remains relevant in an era of ubiquitous internet connectivity and instant communication. However, the active participation in December 2025 events suggests that the community remains vibrant and engaged, with strong local organizations and committed members. The amateur radio community has also been navigating some broader challenges. Earlier in 2025, the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) decided to cancel their attendance at Hamvention in Ohio, a decision influenced by heightened tensions between Canada and the United States, including trade disputes and remarks affecting Canadian sovereignty. This decision highlighted how amateur radio, despite its technical focus, exists within broader political and social contexts that can affect international cooperation and community relationships. The RAC's decision to cancel Hamvention attendance was significant because Hamvention is one of the largest amateur radio gatherings in the world, and international participation has traditionally been an important aspect of the event. The cancellation reflected concerns about the political climate and its potential impact on Canadian participants, demonstrating how even technical hobbies can be affected by broader geopolitical tensions. However, the local and regional events in December 2025 show that the amateur radio community continues to thrive at the grassroots level, regardless of international political considerations. Local clubs remain active, engaged, and focused on their core missions of education, public service, and community building. These local gatherings are the foundation of the amateur radio community, and their continued vitality suggests a strong future for the hobby. The events also highlight the intergenerational nature of the amateur radio community. While the hobby has an aging demographic, December 2025 events have seen participation from operators of all ages, including younger enthusiasts who are discovering amateur radio through interests in electronics, emergency preparedness, or communication technology. The community's ability to attract and retain younger members will be crucial to its long-term sustainability, and events that combine technical activities with social engagement help create welcoming environments for newcomers. The technical aspects of amateur radio remain central to the community's identity and activities. Even social events like Christmas parties often include discussions of equipment, antennas, propagation conditions, and recent technical achievements. This technical focus distinguishes amateur radio from purely social hobbies and provides ongoing learning opportunities for participants at all skill levels. The community's commitment to public service is also evident in December activities, even if not always explicitly featured in event descriptions. Many amateur radio operators are involved in emergency communications, providing backup communication capabilities during disasters, public events, and emergencies. This public service aspect gives the hobby broader relevance and helps justify the spectrum allocations and regulatory support that amateur radio receives. The December 2025 events also reflect the community's adaptation to modern communication tools while maintaining its core values. Social media, online forums, and digital communication platforms have become important tools for organizing events, sharing information, and maintaining community connections. However, the in-person gatherings remain central to the amateur radio experience, providing opportunities for face-to-face interaction that can't be replicated online. As December 2025 comes to a close, the amateur radio community is looking ahead to 2026 with plans for more events, continued education efforts, and ongoing engagement with both technical and social aspects of the hobby. The packed December calendar demonstrates that amateur radio remains a vibrant, active community with strong local organizations and committed participants. These events are more than just gatherings—they're celebrations of a unique hobby that combines technical skill, public service, and community engagement in ways that few other activities can match. The amateur radio community's December 2025 activities show that the hobby is not just surviving but thriving, with active local clubs, engaged members, and a clear sense of purpose. Whether through technical experimentation, public service, education, or simply the joy of communication, amateur radio continues to provide value to its participants and to the broader communities they serve. As the community moves into 2026, it carries forward traditions that span decades while adapting to new technologies, new challenges, and new opportunities for engagement and service.