AHA!RC#

The Austin Hackers Anonymous Radio Club (AHA!RC) is the amateur radio club of Austin Hackers Anonymous. Same people, same meetings, same Mob. Just with antennas.

AHA!RC exists to promote amateur radio communication, technical experimentation, and fellowship among its members and the greater hacker community at large. The club holds an FCC club station license and operates under Part 97, with a trustee responsible for keeping the FCC happy.

Who we are#

Hackers and security people in the Austin, Texas area who are also into radio. That ranges from folks who just passed their Technician exam to operators who have been on the air for decades, and plenty of people in between who are mostly here to take things apart and see how they work.

If you are already part of AHA!, you already know most of us.

What we do#

Radio is a hacker hobby that happens to have its own federal regulator. The club is a home for the parts of AHA! that live in the RF spectrum:

  • Getting on the air and operating the club station
  • Building, modifying, and programming radios and gear
  • Antenna design and RF experimentation
  • Digital modes, SDR, and signal processing
  • Wireless security and RF research
  • Helping each other study for and upgrade licenses

As with everything at AHA!, the expectation is that you bring your own work. Show us what you built, what you heard, what you broke, or what you are stuck on.

How the club runs#

AHA! does not do hierarchy, and neither does the radio club. All club decisions are made by consensus of the membership, known as The Mob. No individual member holds authority over club operations except where the FCC requires it.

To satisfy that requirement, the club designates two positions for administrative and regulatory purposes only:

  • Trustee handles FCC compliance and is the license holder of club record.
  • El Captain is a responsible club official who can sign documents for club business.

These titles confer no governing authority over club activities and hold no power above The Mob. The constitution and bylaws can both be amended by consensus of the membership. Dues, if any, are set the same way. There are currently none.

Meetings#

The club meets at times and places determined by the membership, in person or by electronic means. In practice, radio club business happens alongside the regular monthly AHA! meetings and in the usual AHA! chat channels.

Join us#

Membership is open to all AHA! members in good standing who are interested in amateur radio. Good standing means you follow the rules and meet the participation requirements, same as for AHA! itself. You do not need a license to show up, ask questions, or start studying. You do need one to key up.

The FCC requires a club to maintain at least four members. We have that covered, but more is better.

The best way to get involved is the same as it is for AHA! proper: come to a meeting, hang out in chat, and talk about what you are working on. Questions about the club specifically can go through the contact page.

See you on the air.