About Our Club
The Vienna Wireless Society (VWS) was established in 1963 to foster and advance Amateur Radio in the Town of Vienna, VA, and the greater Washington DC metropolitan area. As with all “hams,” the club’s original founders came from many walks of life and shared a common interest in communication as a hobby, as a means of technical exploration, and as a way to serve their community and nation. Over the years, VWS members have participated in a variety of public service events, ranging from coordinating parades and races to supporting the disaster relief effort at the Pentagon following the attack of September 11, 2001.
The spirit that brought together the founders of the VWS continues today. Presently, the club has over 280 members of all ages and interests. Club members represent all available Amateur Radio license classes–Technician, General, and Amateur Extra–each of which carries various operating privileges and frequencies. And as of 2007, the requirement for Morse Code was dropped by the FCC.
Meetings
The club meets at 7:30 pm on the 2nd and 4th Friday, except in June, November and December. Meetings are open to all, and typically consist of a brief business session, followed by a program on some aspect of amateur radio. Check the Home page for location and information for attending via an online link.
At 7:00 p.m, prior to the main meeting, we have a short discussion, generally aimed for new hams.
Most of our sessions, including the main meeting and the short sessions are video recorded and available to anyone. Go to the presentations page to see a list of videos and other materials from past meetings. The Home page of this site lists meetings announcements, and the club event calendar.
Some Major Activities
VWS sponsors WINTERFEST, one of the Washington DC area’s oldest Amateur Radio exhibitions, each year at Oakton High School. WINTERFEST features dozens of private and commercial vendors offering a wide range of amateur radio and computer equipment, as well as programs on current technical, operating, and regulatory topics.
During the last full weekend in June, we participate in an annual Field Day event focused on emergency communications. We set up portable equipment at Burke Lake Park independent of commercial utilities and make contacts with other amateur stations using various modes of communication to test our ability to operate under emergency conditions. We welcome visitors and newcomers to amateur radio to this event and provide a radio station that gives everyone the opportunity to make contacts under the guidance of a licensed operator.
Other Events and Assistance to New Members
The club offers a number of educational, public service, social, and operating events during the year. Our focus is always on participation and camaraderie ahead of contest points. Many of our members help to provide radio support to the aid stations at the annual Marine Corps marathon in October. We also have an active mentoring program for newcomers who would like assistance with any aspect of amateur radio.
Club Intro and Membership form in pdf format
Club Intro and Membership form in Word format