About MVARA

Dayton Hamvention 2023

The Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association (MVARA) is an active group of nearly 60 ham operators in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area.  MVARA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our club was founded in January 1990 by Jim K9LBX (SK), Craig N9ETD, Bill N9FDE, Andy KAØSDT and Tom WA9TS.

The mission of the MVARA is to promote the use of amateur radio for education, emergency service (communications), team building and training for all ages.

To help facilitate that mission, MVARA has refurbished and equipped a full-sized emergency communications bus. The bus has matching HF/VHF/UHF stations and accessories and a fold-over tower attached to the bus for antennas. MVARA also owns several portable towers. The bus and equipment allow us to operate up to four stations simultaneously, using a variety of different modes, including CW, voice, and digital modes.

The MVARA bus is used during radio events, including Field Day, QSO Parties, Parks On The Air (POTA) activations, as well as assisting with communications at local events. The bus is also available for educational purposes at local schools and community events. Please see our Event Calendar for upcoming meeting dates as well as other MVARA activities.

If you are interested in taking an amateur radio license exam, several MVARA members are authorized Volunteer Examiners and we typically have testing available before each monthly club meeting (pre-registration required). For more details on Amateur Radio licensing, and our exam offerings, see our Ham License Exams page.

If you are interested in joining our club, we have an online Membership Application or you are welcome to attend a monthly meeting.  If you have any questions about MVARA, feel free to Contact Us.