New Jersey Knights of Columbus
Amateur Radio Club

Your Excellencies,
Reverend Monsignors,
Reverend Fathers:

I am writing to advise you of an offer to have your milestone celebration (e.g. 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th anniversary) accompanied by New Jersey Knights of Columbus who are also licensed Amateur Radio Operators. Several of us Knights/hams throughout the state have formed the New Jersey Knights of Columbus Amateur Radio Club (NJKCARC). The purpose of the club, as it pertains to the Church and the Knights of Columbus, is to provide a means of acknowledgment of your existing celebration with people throughout the world, totally free of charge.

Many Parishes were formed through mergers in the recent past, but you may still celebrate the anniversaries of your churches. You may have an upcoming Diamond Jubilee celebration — if so, we would like to be part of your special event. In 2023, we celebrated the New Jersey Knights of Columbus 127th Convention. Since then, we have made thousands of contacts into 71 countries and six continents.

Amateur Radio Operators exchange postcards – known as QSL cards in the hobby – which confirm contacts with one another. The cards are adorned with the call sign of the operator, his or her name, and quite often have a photograph of a map of the country in which they live. Many of those we received were from fellow Knights or Catholics. Imagine a display of cards from throughout the world, exclaiming congratulations for a Diamond Jubilee, or the 100th anniversary of a Parish.

After receipt of the cards, they can be displayed however you wish, to commemorate your celebration. If we operate at your venue, and if conditions permit, you and your visitors may also have the opportunity to speak on the radio and make contacts with other stations. Depending upon the availability of club members, we may operate from home as opposed to your location. If we do operate from your venue, the radio station, which will consist of radio, laptop, cables and antenna, most of which can usually fit in a backpack, will be set up, operated and taken down on the same day as your celebration. All that we need to operate is a relatively quiet location with minimal foot traffic, so nobody trips on our cables or antenna. A location that includes access to a tree, rooftop or other tall structure would be ideal.

Amateur Radio Operators are forbidden from operating an Amateur Radio Station for “pecuniary interest”, and therefore cannot accept payment for their services. Advance notice of several months is required if you wish to have NJKCARC assist in celebrating your special event. This is required to schedule club members, and work with interested priests, especially when event dates conflict with one another, meeting with the pastor and defining where the radio and antenna will be set up. Advertising in hobby magazines and online requires notice of several months, necessitating the advance notice. A schedule of Special Event Stations is posted on our club website, NJ2KC.org. Please visit it at your convenience.

I invite you to click on the links below to read the articles in the Catholic Star Herald, the Jersey Catholic, the Trenton Monitor, and The Catholic Spirit regarding our 2023 15-day Special Event Station, KØC:

• Catholic Star Herald, Camden Diocese, 8/16/2023
• Jersey Catholic, Newark Archdiocese, 5/18/2023
• Trenton Monitor, Trenton Diocese, 6/26/2023
• Catholic Star Herald, Camden Diocese, 2/16/2024
• The Catholic Spirit, Metuchen Diocese, 7/16/2024

If you know of any Amateur Radio Operators in your diocese or parish, please have them contact me. We have a few members who are willing to volunteer their time throughout the state for this cause, but we could always use more members.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have regarding having an Amateur Radio Special Event Station as a part of your upcoming celebration.

Thank you for doing God’s work.

Vivat Jésus!

Fraternally,