Amateur Radio

Elmwood Park Zoo celebrates its’ 100th Anniversary on Saturday, October 7th in an unusual way…via AMATEUR RADIO!

Ham radio operators from the surrounding area, will be joining the zoo staff in commemorating the 100th anniversary, that Saturday, by operating amateur radio equipment, right here at the zoo!

The radio operators will be using equipment that makes communicating with other ham radio stations, possible. With special radios and antennas, their signals are expected to reach not only other amateur stations in the area, but most certainly by reaching other parts of the United States and Canada…and quite possibly, other far-away countries!! Bring your knowledge of our country’s 50 states and hone-up on your world geography. Our ham radio operators will appreciate your help identifying where these signals are coming from and will be available to explain exactly what it is that they’re doing and how YOU can get involved in this amazing hobby.

Elmwood Park Zoo’s ham radio operators will be making brief contacts with as many other amateur radio stations, as possible. After a quick exchange of signal information between stations, the ham radio operators contacting the zoo stations are expected to request a commemorative 100th Anniversary certificate, confirming their radio contact with the crew at the zoo. Where possible, our ham operators will make every effort to give visitors a taste of what it’s like to use ‘amateur radio’ as a source of communications. The amateur radio stations will use equipment and frequencies that send signals around the globe, right from the zoo!

Look for the amateur radio station and the ham operators, near the picnic pavilion. They’ll be there for the entire day, on Saturday, October 7th. Simply look for the Zoo’s Anniversary logo and the ham radio special event call sign, K 3 E, which is what they’ll use to identify themselves to other ham radio stations wishing to contact the zoo, that day.