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About the Vienna Wireless Society
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 140 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.
The VWS also sponsors Winterfest, one of the Washington DC area's oldest Amateur Radio exhibitions, each year at Northern Virginia Community College's Annandale campus. 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. Many other area amateur radio clubs and special interest organizations are represented as well. Proceeds from Winterfest support a variety of VWS functions.
Other VWS activities during the year include an annual banquet for club members and guests, operating events for low-power enthusiasts, participation in the annual Field Day contest/emergency communications exercise, and a late summer picnic. Two VWS sponsored repeater stations are used for emergency and public service communications support, experimentation, and general use.
VWS members are devoted to their hobby and welcome opportunities to assist anyone interested in learning more about Amateur Radio. The club meets at 7:30 pm on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month at Oakton High School (2900 Sutton Road). Meetings are open to all, and typically consist of a brief business session, followed by a program on various aspects of amateur Radio. In addition, the VWS regularly offers licensing classes to prepare newcomers for their initial Amateur Radio examination, or help current amateurs upgrade their licenses.
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Winterfest ® is a registered trademark of the Vienna Wireless Society.
